There comes a time when a relationship is in need of help. This is nothing to be ashamed of and believe it or not there are all sorts of places to go for help. If you have a significant problem within in your relationship you can start by setting a date with your partner, to meet once per week. Our lives can get busy but communication is always important and may be the cause of the issue. Forcing yourself to have a conversation with your partner should not involve yelling. Instead have a nice calm conversation about the issue at hand. If this is not working you may want to look to your pastor, rabbi or priest. Here you can gain support and helpful advice. If that doesn’t work out then you can always try to start dating your spouse again and working to try to get that spark back. When severe problem arise in a relationship it could be caused from not spending enough time with one another. A great idea would be to make time in your schedule to go out, get a babysitter for the kids, plan a romantic night alone and have fun! If none of this helps then you can always look to help of a professional.

Ask yourself if it feels right on the inside. I know that men have difficulty with being in tuned to their feelings but if you feel inside that she is the one then chances are, she is. Also consider how much you fight. Sure, everyone has arguments every now and then but if it’s to the point where you are always frustrated with one another then perhaps she is not the right one for you.

Consider the length of time that you have been dating and make sure you have had enough time in getting to know her. I could be wrong but chances are if it has only been a few weeks you may want to get to know her a bit better. Love is such a funny thing and marriage, even more so. Before making that commitment, be sure she is your ideal partner for life.

If you want to increase your chances at having the most success then you could consider something like a glamour shot.  Getting a picture done from a professional is a good way to have a great picture that will get you a lot of dates and compliments.  Always do your best when it comes to your profile.  Don’t get lazy in your descriptions.  Take your time and fill out every question to the fullest.  This will get you more sincere dates than those that are just looking to hook up with you.

Those with a strong emotional side and belief that distance can’t change that – the romantic types, have the best chances of making this type of situation work.  With modern technology it has become a lot easier to stay in touch with someone that can be clear around the globe.  If you are satisfied with communication as a bond in a relationship then you stand a better chance.

If you don’t get that feeling of loneliness very easy then your chances for it working increase by 25%.  If your mate is the same way then that chance doubles.  Be honest with yourself though.  Many times, people will agree to a long distance relationship more because of the romantic idea of it rather than the realistic expectation.

If you have found yourself in a long distance relationship and you want it to work, then it will require more effort than a close proximity relationship.  It will also probably cost a lot more money.  They can get expensive when trips to great distances are involved.

This type of relationship also requires expert planning.  Working with two schedules and getting it right can take some practice.  If both of you are willing to make it work then it can definitely happen.  The most important thing though, your expectations for the relationship have to exactly match those of your partner.  If they don’t then the whole thing will crumble right out of the gate.  Communication is the key factor in making this type of relationship work.

Thinking of topics to talk about can be difficult.  The best things to talk about are the topics that you are knowledgeable in and that most people would find interesting.  If you are telling stories about your Aunt Linda then they probably will lose interest very quickly.  You can save those stories for date six.  Currently on date one, maybe you should talk about your favorite football team or your favorite food.

Remember to always paint yourself in a positive light.  Don’t tell any stories about how terrible you have been at something or how you feel that you are a complete failure at life.  That’s kind of depressing and no one is going to want to sit through these stories all night.  Just keep the conversations happy and fun and you should be able to have a good time.

1.                  Finding that special someone doesn’t mean that you have to spend your entire life doing it.  Now that you found them online, the next step is to meet them in person, preferably somewhere public.

2.                  When you engage in a conversation, simply make light topics the focus.  You are there to have a good time, not solve the world’s problems

3.                  Buy a new outfit especially for this date.  If you can’t do that, then wear your best clothing.

4.                  It is a good idea to have some funny stories ready to tell.  If you can keep the conversation going then you may get a second date.

5.                  Always take rejection with a smile.  If it doesn’t work out then you can just start over again, there are people out there for you and this one just wasn’t the one.

• ANYTHING, and I mean anything, you are allergic to, or have had bad reactions to in the past.

o   Why?  Do you really want to spend your first date in the emergency room?  Didn’t think so.  Even the worst first date has better exit options.

• Anything super greasy

o   Why? While those cheesy fries, onion rings, and ½ lb burger may look and sound appetizing, chances are you won’t want to deal with the gassy, bloated feeling it leaves you, especially if the date is going well.

• Any green and stringy

o   Why?  I really don’t think you want your date pointing out that you have food in your teeth, rates high on the embarrassment factor.

• Just a salad

o   Why? Even if it’s what you really really want, at least get a cup of soup to go with it. Otherwise it just looks like you’re trying to impress the person with how much you watch your weight.  Be yourself, but not too much.

If you have someone in mind that you are not completely sure about then you should try to make a list of factors that would help you in deciding the best course of action to take.  Maybe they are really handsome or rich.  Perhaps they smell bad or yell when they talk.  You can put these characteristics into groups and see which group wins.  If the positive ones win out over the bad qualities then it should give you a better chance with dating them.

Always try to give someone the benefit of the doubt a first.  If they just continue getting on your nerves then it probably is not the best situation to be in.  Just be polite and let them down easy.  Hopefully, one of their bad traits is not flipping out when they are rejected.

1.       Excuse yourself to the restroom to call and check on your kids, then rush home because they are sick.  Note: This will only work if you have kids, or if he thinks you have kids

2.       Get an emergency phone call/ text from a friend; predetermine all of this earlier, so that you get the message at a certain time, and only respond if it is going poorly

3.       Come up with some sort of malady that you have to go home for.  Some great ones are migraines, stomach bug, allergy (to something in the restaurant, or even your date!)

4.       Be honest; let him know that the date isn’t going like you had hoped.  If he has seemed uncomfortable the whole time, he might agree with you!

5.       Suck it up.  So he’s not Prince Charming.  If he’s at least a nice guy, and the meal is good, why not just enjoy it?  Let him down gently at the end; while you have enjoyed your evening, you’re just not sure you two are compatible.