Many people have asked me this question concerning relationships:  "What if I give someone a chance, only to get hurt by them later on?" The fact of the matter is that getting hurt is always a real possibility in any relationship. We all enter into a relationship with high hopes. In the early stages, the other person might seem so incredible that you would think they fell from the sky. Gradually, though, one's true colors come out, and they may not always be to our liking. No one's perfect, though, and relationships are all about accepting and working through each other's differences.  It's when those differences become irreconcilable that the relationship is in trouble.  You never really know how a relationship will turn out. The high divorce rate in the U.S. alone can attest to that. Still, if we don't take a chance, we'll never really know what the relationship holds in store.  Even if it doesn't work out, th...

Studies show that far more women are skipping marriage today than was the case two, even three decades ago. Plus, what many women are saying on social media regarding the perils of tying the knot corroborates these findings. This morning, I was sifting through posts on the Facebook page for Psychology Today. One of them posed an intriguing question: Do women these days still find great value in getting married? Judging from the comments to the post, many of them do not. One woman stated plainly that after dating several non-committal men, she's grown tired of pushing marriage on these guys with nothing to show for it. Another said that she refuses to take the plunge again after being cheated on by two of her husbands. Still another admitted that she's never wanted to be tied down, instead valuing the flexibility of singlehood. For many women, the perks of being married -- like additional tax and insurance benefits -- just aren't sufficient to offset the problems tha...

I've lost count of the many shows that involve one or more of the central characters engaging in an extramarital affair. Scandal, a wildly popular political thriller TV series starring Kerry Washington, centers on the affair between the President of the United States and a former White House Director of Communications. Then there's Mistresses , a mystery drama and soap opera television series about four female friends involved in affairs. Some of the highest rated TV series of the last few years have featured hot, steamy affairs, from Sex and the City and Homeland to Mad Men and The Good Wife . I'd like to think that the people who produce these shows aren't deliberately condoning having an extramarital affair, but I wouldn't exactly be shocked if viewers made such an inference. It's obvious that affairs keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Sex sells when it comes to advertising, so why should the TV and film industries be any different? Clandest...

And no, a strong sex drive and big muscles didn't quite make the cut. I know there are several contenders for the top 2 spots, but I would say the two qualities women desire most in men are honesty and self-confidence. I thought about sense of humor, but not every single woman necessarily seeks a man who can make her laugh. That would probably occupy 4th or 5th place on the list. However, every woman I've talked to says a man HAS to be sincere -- no ifs or buts about it. If she can't trust the guy, there's no way that a relationship could ever be possible with that person. With stories of infidelity dominating the tabloids and the divorce rate skyrocketing, it's no wonder that women are on high alert. Then there's self-confidence. Women desire men who are sure of themselves. Now, they don't have to be self-confident when it comes to every itty bitty thing they do (no one's perfect), but they should show passion and a drive to excel at something, wh...

Ever wonder what the biggest decisions in your life will be? You know, the ones that can have the biggest ramifications on overall happiness and well-being? I've mulled this over quite a bit and have come up with what I believe to be the most important choices you'll ever make. 1. Choice of partner - Who you'll spend the rest of your life with certainly warrants some thought. After all, you will likely share finances, manage a household, and have children with this person. Unfortunately, as the high divorce rate shows, things may not always turn out as planned. 2. Whether to have children, and how many - The choice of whether to have kids can have life-altering implications. And if you decide to have them, you'll then have to ponder how many to bring into this world. Children bring happiness into a couple's life, but they can just as easily impose physical, emotional, and financial hardship. 3. Choice of career - Choosing the right field might not be as easy...

With the divorce rate still between 40 and 50 percent in the United States, it's plain to see that many people end up in the wrong relationships with the wrong partners. Below is just a sampling of reasons why relationships may ultimately fail. 1. Both people hold different values, whether religious or otherwise 2. Both people come with disparate views on marriage and/or having children 3. They don't share the same hobbies/interests 4. Their personalities don't mesh well (one is a bookworm while the other loves to party) 5. One or both are irresponsible with money, chores, or other duties 6. One or both are unable to remain faithful 7. The romance dies out completely because one or both become complacent 8. Children strain the marriage irreparably Some of these things aren't easy to predict early into the relationship. But once we've been with someone for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, we can get a sense of views or habits that may not necessa...