Sometimes it isn't that someone has changed, but that now you see them for who they really are. It can be disappointing to realize that someone whom you held in high esteem -- whether an old friend or relatively new girlfriend -- isn't as you imagined. Maybe you've noticed a pattern of lies, throwing cold water on the rosy impression you'd built of them in your mind. Perhaps they'd hidden the fact that they have a massive heap of debt, a never-before-mentioned ex who continues reaching out to them, or aspirations of moving to Europe in a year. Do some people change for the worst over time? In some instances, yes. It's possible they could grow complacent, envious, or flat-out bitter in the relationship, and things like alcohol and stress at work may be culprits -- though they're certainly not valid reasons for bad behavior. But in other cases, they manage to put up a front -- rather effectively, I might add -- that may persist for years. The p...

Given that Thursday marked Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., it made the perfect occasion to take a moment and acknowledge the efforts of the special people in our lives who show they genuinely care for us -- whether it be our parents, partner, close friends, and/or co-workers. (Yet, this should be done over the course of the entire year, not just one day of the year.) As we well know, one thing is to profess you care, and another is to show it. Showing it means going out of your way -- inconveniencing yourself, if you will -- for other people. It means putting someone atop your priority list every so often, even though you have a slew of things you still need to tend to. It means being there when someone needs you, even if it's just via text or by phone. It means that you don't just surface on the person's birthday.  Real relationships are about putting into them what you get out of them .  Those who care aren't only thinking about what they can extract f...

Men are usually the ones who get a bad rap for doing this, but it turns out that women hide their emotions as well. Why would people do this? For one, they may want to avoid having an argument. Or, they could very well be hoping that whatever situation is triggering those emotions could be resolved before they have to come out and express their feelings. But such a strategy is misguided. Keeping those feelings bottled up might only lead to hurt feelings and resentment later on. Whether you're feeling sad or angry, opening up to your partner will only make you feel better. One of the reasons we enter into a relationship in the first place is to have someone we can confide in -- someone who will hear us out and provide support when we need it most. By keeping your feelings to yourself, you prevent your partner from connecting with you on an emotional level and, even worse, may engender suspicion in your significant other that something more serious is afoot (cheating, e...

A relationship becomes insincere and pointless the moment you feel forced to be someone you're not . I don't care how much a person likes someone else. If you have to fake your personality to impress them, it's not worth it. On the other hand, you know when you're with the right person when you feel comfortable enough letting your true colors come out. Sure, in the beginning of the relationship, people try extra hard to make a good impression, doing their best to hide all their flaws. But sooner or later, a genuine version of yourself should be in evidence. You shouldn't have to force yourself to like or support something only because the other person does. Part of being in a relationship involves accepting each others' differences. Just because your partner is a football fanatic or history buff doesn't mean you to have to be one. Having different views and disparate hobbies can be advantageous to a relationship. The former can make for interesti...

The best people to be around aren't necessarily the nicest, prettiest, or most popular. It's those with whom you feel totally comfortable being yourself . This is how the best, most durable relationships are forged. If you find yourself holding back from being yourself or deliberately putting up a facade so that the other person likes you more, that isn't the kind of company you want in your life. Sure, when we're first getting to know someone, we may hold back somewhat or try to act more in line with the other person's expectations; we are, after all, trying to make a good first impression on them. Gradually, though, the walls should come down and you should feel more at ease letting your true beliefs, opinions, and mannerisms come out without fear of being judged. Those whom we call our friends never make us think or act in ways that feel unnatural or conflict with our values and personalities. If you abstain from drinking or smoking yet are constantly b...