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...

Be careful whom you push away, as some of those people will never come back. At some point, we've all felt taken for granted, whether it's by a friend who just entered into a new relationship, a spouse who's too swamped to tend to you and the kids, a relative who seems to care more about fantasy football than having a deep conversation, or a boss who fails to recognize your valuable contribitions to the company. Or, maybe you've been the one to take advantage of someone else, only to regret it later. Unfortunately, many people have this false sense of confidence that even if they make others feel neglected or unappreciated, they'll always stick by. What they fail to realize is that everyone has a breaking point. Once someone has had enough, they will most certainly bolt. Sure, if luck is on their side, and if they can convincingly make the case that they'll change, the other person might just give them a second chance. But this is not a given, as many ...