Most relationships don’t fall apart overnight. They erode gradually, often in ways neither person notices at first.  The real damage doesn’t always come from incessant fighting, cheating, or even falling out of love. More often, it comes from a silent, menacing killer that poisons the connection between two people. And it doesn't matter whether the pair have been together two months, two years, or even two decades. This scourge has the potential to destroy partnerships weak and strong.  So, what is it? It’s the expectation that your partner should act, feel, and think the way you do. At first glance, it seems harmless — even logical. If something makes sense to you, shouldn’t it make sense to them as well? If you would react a particular way, isn’t it fair to expect they would too? But that mindset is a trap. It sets up an impossible standard where your partner can never win —because they’re not you. This expectation surfaces in subtle ways: You get frustrate...

You're better off staying single until someone complements your life in a way that makes it better not to be single . If not, it's just not worth it. Put more succinctly, it's better to be single than in bad company . For example, getting involved with someone who brings too much baggage with them is a recipe for trouble. Perhaps they were abused or cheated on their last relationship, which may have ended only a couple of weeks ago. That puts an undue amount of pressure on you. Not only do you have to support them emotionally as they continue to heal from the ordeal, but you'll likely be held to a higher standard -- only because the ill-fated relationship remains so fresh in their mind and they're looking to avoid getting hurt again. People may try to convince you that opposites attract, but research shows the opposite: relationships that last the longest tend to be those where both partners share a lot in common, from their temperament and interests to thei...