Relationships

Marriage is a major commitment, and many of us wonder how we’ll ever know the time is right—a few signs can help us find clarity.  First, true love, dedication, and effort are needed to make a relationship last; if these are apparent in your relationship, you are on the right…

Imagine this: you get home from work, and your spouse looks up at you from the kitchen table, clearly concerned. You demand simultaneously, “Where are the kids?”  You both thought it was the other person’s turn to pick the kids up from soccer practice, which has the potential to spark…

The perfect relationship doesn’t exist, but we can get pretty close to it: the relationship we develop with our dog is mutually beneficial and rarely contains conflict. Dogs offer their owners unconditional love and positive regard; in other words, they love them and think highly of them no matter what. …

Pets can bring an overwhelming amount of fun, joy, and love to our lives—additionally, they can help to soothe any feelings of loneliness. Dogs, cats, and other pets love their owners unconditionally and in showing this love are able to help us feel happy again. The positive impact doesn’t stop…

Adopting a dog can have positive effects on your health: it can reduce the risk of developing certain ailments and help with your self-image. First, dogs (and other pets) can have a positive influence on heart health; researchers say this is mostly due to the physical activity necessary to taking…

The world of mental health can be an intimidating one. Certainly, for the 1 in 3 of us who are living with such a condition, and the daily challenges it can bring. But also, for those looking in from the outside, whether that’s supporting a friend, family member or even…

A new study says that women who go on dates just for free food are more likely to exhibit dark personality traits like psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. A “foodie call” is where someone goes out with someone despite a lack of romantic interest because they want a free meal. This…

Spiritual Purposes in Relationships: Life Blessings and Life Lessons What is a spiritual love? As with many questions about our spirituality, there isn’t one definition or example of a spiritual love. That said, spiritual love can refer to a love that is rooted in or supported by a deep spiritual…

Relationship stigma from loved ones is linked to mental health issues. This, from a Pace University study that analyzed 467 adults in same-sex and/or interracial relationships. The team found that relationship stigma from friends was linked to greater depression symptoms and, in turn, poor overall health. Also, relationship stigma from…

Before I took my leap of faith and adopted my dog, Mila, I surveyed everyone in my life to see what they thought. Did they think I could handle it? Did they think it was a good idea? Did they think I was ready for the responsibility? The overwhelming answer…

In addition to providing love, support, and companionship, dogs are beneficial to our health and overall wellbeing. When we pet a dog, we form a bond and release the hormone oxytocin, which helps to relieve us of stress and anxiety. Dogs also promote an active lifestyle, which helps us to…

Marriage can be beautiful. It can also be incredibly problematic and end in divorce. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, just about 40 to 50% of couples divorce. And the divorce rate for second, third, and other subsequent marriages is even higher. The main causes for divorce? Here…