(Justin Deschamps) An intimacy crisis is at our doorstep. Life, in a sense, is all about finding better ways to meet our fundamental needs. These needs are personal, social, and universal, a blend of animal instincts and biological urges energizing an evolving psyche, even an emerging spiritual nature—the soul. Since time immemorial, humanity has had to contend with these needs, yet we continue to struggle with them in our advancing world—especially the grandest of needs, the desire for intimacy, fellowship, and union with others.
romance
Commitment in Relationships
(Exploring Your Mind) Most people see commitment in relationships as a good thing, but what happens when it goes too far? Read on to learn more!
3 Widely Held Misconceptions about Marriage
(Marcia Naomi Berger, MSW, LCSW) “… there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – Shakespeare, Hamlet
Ways Social Media Hurts Pair Bonding, Spiritual Growth, and Loving Relationships: Why It’s Hard to Find Love in Today’s World
(Justin Deschamps) Social media launched into our lives in a swift and prolific way. Due to the positive feedback loop effect of social trends, the more people that joined the more felt compelled to follow along or miss out. This technology is having a massive effect on human life, particularly relationships, disturbing a delicate pair bonding process that draws from biological factors, which themselves, draw from spiritual impulses. For the modern person, forming a lasting and valuable bond with another human being could be more challenging than ever.
Fascinating Study Finds That Men Who Eat 4 Cloves of Garlic per Day Smell More Attractive to Women
(Michelle Simmons) While eating garlic can make your breath smell bad, it apparently can make you more appealing — if you’re a man, that is. A 2015 study published in Appetite Journal concluded that garlic may make men smell more attractive to women by altering their body odor.
Dropping Hints Instead of Communicating Harms Relationships
(Exploring Your Mind) Constantly dropping hints is synonymous with perverse communication. It’s a kind of subtle psychological abuse.
What are Growth-Focused Relationships Like?
(Exploring Your Mind) A lot of people believe that relationships are synonymous with discomfort. This is because, for them, a relationship represents a permanent sacrifice, an uncomfortable place to be in. What is your personal view of a relationship in terms of success and personal growth? What do you think others think about this?
Relationship Mechanics: The Image vs Reality Principle and 6 Reasons Why People Fall In Love
(Justin Deschamps) The following article describes six reasons why we fall in love. In an effort to make this piece more robust, I’ll also describe the fundamental psychological reality of image association vs. primary phenomena. That’s a fancy way of saying there’s a difference between the actual object of our affection and our impression of that object. Recognizing that this difference exists is essential to cultivate lasting and fulfilling relationships.
10 Things Mature Men Never Do
(Gerald Sinclair) Mature men act in a very specific way. They are not over the top and usually do their best to keep the people around them satisfied.
Passive Aggressive Behavior in Relationships (and How to Change It)
(Dr. Tarra Bates-Duford) Do you have a passive aggressive person in your life? Even more importantly, do you think that passive aggressive person might be you?
10 Reasons Why Most People Tend To Fear Love — Understanding The Transformative Power of Life and Relationships
(Justin Deschamps) Love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe, yet it is also greatly misunderstood and misused. The power of love can move mountains, destroy civilizations, miraculously heal the sick, give a mother superhuman strength to save her child, and liberate a mind enslaved by trauma and hardship. Love’s power to rejuvenate, heal, and transform becomes active when we consciously work with this all-encompassing cosmic force.
Couples That Roast Each Other On the Regular Last Longer Than Those That Don’t, Study Claims
(Gerald Sinclair) While you might think that when someone is picking at their significant other they are being mean but the truth is those two could be much closer than you realize. Apparently, the couples who are not afraid to laugh at themselves and one another end up sticking together much longer.
Social Media and Relationships
(Marisa T. Cohen Ph.D.) Research has shown that social media can affect the quality of our relationships. In fact, one survey study with 205 Facebook users, demonstrated that a higher level of Facebook usage was associated with negative relationship outcomes (Clayton, Nagurney, & Smith, 2013). In addition, those relationships experienced Facebook-related conflict (Clayton, et al., 2013). Facebook usage has also been shown to be linked to increased feelings of jealousy (Muise, Christofides, & Desmarais, 2009).
15 Cartoons Showing The Difference Between Dating & Real Love
(Mark DeNicola) We live in a time where the world of dating and relationships has never been so convoluted. Gone are the days where someone had to muster up the courage to approach someone that caught their eye, and here (seemingly to stay) are the days of swiping right to twenty potential partners in a matter of minutes.
The Barriers We Build Against Love
(Anna Rodgers) Many people are still looking for their ‘other half’, venturing out on more and more dates, casting the net wider until they find someone to complete them. And when it doesn’t work out just as they planned, they jump back onto their smartphones, ‘unfriend’ the offending partner and swipe themselves another one.