Relationship Improvement Center

Relationship Advice: Do This Little Thing to Make a Big Thing Happen
By Margrit Harris

We can t leave out the egg.

For being in my 50’s I’m in pretty good physical shape. Physical fitness has always been part of my life. However, about three years ago I once again wanted to trim down my thighs. I bought Jorge Cruise’s book “8 Minutes to Lean Hips and Thin Thighs”. Well like most everything I’ve tried in that department before this too didn’t work.

Now as another summer stares me in the face I pulled the book of the shelf one more time and made a very valuable observation. Sure, I’d followed Jorge’s little simple exercises actually to this day I continue to incorporate three in my regular routine. However, I failed to follow all of his instructions to get the results of lean hips and thin thighs.

I assumed that I could pick and choose what I used of his program instead of following his entire process. I literally desired the results but was not willing do what it really took to get them. For some reason I imagined that I’d get what he promised by not doing all he laid out. Dumb huh?

It’s like baking that delicious chocolate cake and leaving out the egg. We all know that the egg is a necessary ingredient to get the desired result. No egg no yummy cake. It’s that simple.

Are we like that with our relationships?

I think so. We have numerous folks who excitedly sign up for our relationship products and think they can pick and chose the parts they use with the hope of still creating that happy relationship. Not so. We can’t leave out the egg.

To be successful at trimming thighs, backing cakes or building relationships we need to follow the principles and process that leads to our desired result.

So let’s stop blaming the book, the recipe or the product and start following the experts because they really do know how to get us where we want to go.

Margrit Harris, MSSW, international relationship expert, speaker and author is co-creator of “Is he right for me?” Virtual Test Drive . An interactive online program for single women to take their relationship for a “spin around the block” before they “buy”. http://www.isherightforme.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Margrit_Harris
http://EzineArticles.com/?Relationship-Advice:-Do-This-Little-Thing-to-Make-a-Big-Thing-Happen&id=507451

written by admin

Dating Advice: Change Your Mind, Change Your Love Life
By Terry Hernon MacDonald

My 11-year-old daughter and I recently went to see The Devil Wears Prada. She s a big fan of Anne Hathaway, the young actress who starred in The Princess Diaries, and she s increasingly passionate about fashion.

The movie dazzled us with gorgeous clothes, fabulous makeup, and glamorous locations in New York and Paris. But, while my little girl liked the plot, I found it troubling. The movie s message? If you re a woman, you can t have personal and professional success at the same time.

In other words, if you do too well at your job, your boyfriend will dump you.

In the story, Meryl Streep s accomplished character, Miranda, loses her third husband to divorce. Miranda s assistant, Andy, played by Hathaway, finds that her friends and boyfriend abandon her as soon as she starts getting respect at work.

The “you can t have it all” message to women is as old as time.

What does this have to do with you? Well, if you desire a happy relationship and a career but always end up with just one or the other, you can bet this nefarious message has firmly lodged itself in your subconscious.

I recently heard a savvy business owner (and happily married woman) say, “Ninety-seven percent of the decisions you think you re making are actually made for you. Your subconscious makes the decisions.”

Please do not discount the gravity of this statement. Your subconscious absorbs messages from the media, your parents, and other influences, and then it acts upon them. It creates your destiny.

With a little effort, you can root those nasty messages out of your subconscious by examining your beliefs about relationships, as well as your ability to attract and keep one that s supportive, happy, and drama-free.

For example, do you believe that you can be successful on all fronts in your life, or in just one or two? If you make too much money, will you turn off potential suitors? Are relationships hard? Do they involve a lot of “work”? Will you have to compete in a relationship? Will you have to suppress your dreams in order to help a man achieve his?

Once you identify the limiting beliefs you ve developed, you can replace them with new ones. For instance, if you believe it s impossible to have a joyful marriage and successful career at the same time, bring to mind a friend or a famous person who actually has them (the beautiful and talented Miss Meryl Streep, for instance).

Then write an affirmation to support your new belief:

“I am happily married loyal, loving, reliable, fun man, and I m wildly successful in my career as a ____________.”

Repeat the affirmation in the shower. Write it 25 times a day. Say it out loud before you fall asleep at night. Keep this up for 30 days, at the very least. Eventually, you will feel a shift within yourself.

And then watch out. Once things on the inside change, the outside will, too: Your career and love life will seem to magically come together!

As for my daughter, I can t intercept every negative message she receives, but I can help her to be aware of them. We had a discussion about the message in The Devil Wears Prada. I told her not to believe it. I want this girl to “have it all.”

And if she believes she can, she will. Author Napoleon Hill said it best: “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

Terry MacDonald is the happily married author of “How to Attract and Marry the Man of Your Dreams.” Sign up for free dating tips at http://www.marrysmart.com. Check out her blog at http://happygirlmusing.blogspot.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Hernon_MacDonald
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dating-Advice:-Change-Your-Mind,-Change-Your-Love-Life&id=242773

written by admin

Saving on Wedding Music
By Mia LeCron

When it comes to wedding music, there are some choices that stand apart from others and use a chosen song of love instead.

People still are using the traditional bridal song too, but it is just not necessary anymore for those who want to be original or walk down the aisle to a song that best expresses how they feel about their nuptials.

When it comes to the music for your wedding ceremony and the reception, it is important that you consider your budget above all things. Naturally, you will want to have all of the music that you love available including the music that you want for your first dance.

Hiring a DJ can be the best way to go, but it is not the only way to go. If you must hire a DJ, there are a few ways that you can save money on it.. During the ceremony, it is getting more popular to avoid the traditional bridal music

Saving on a DJ

For starters, you can look to hire an amateur DJ who is just starting out. They are eager for the work and will often cut you a good deal. You can find good amateur DJ’s at local school dances and sometimes just by asking local area high school and college kids about DJ’s that they might know.
Young DJ’s who are just starting out are also using modern technology like portable computers with downloaded music and this means that they can almost always get just about any song that you might want.

Young DJ’s are also more willing to follow your precise instructions for what you want to hear and will allow you to have full control of what they do. Many amateur DJs will also make you custom CDs if you ask them and you can give them to the bridal party as gifts.

To get the best prices from the amateurs, you can let them audition to make sure that they can play your wedding song and then you can let them bid their prices. You simply choose the best of them who has the best price.

Saving on a band

Many couples would prefer to use a live band at their wedding and reception. Live bands offer a special tone to the ceremony and it adds some elegance.

When you want to save money on a band, you can often find great deals when you look to local high school and college bands to get much cheaper prices. You can use the school bands to play music at the ceremony and hire a DJ for the reception.

You can also look to any friends or family members who play musical instruments to help you out. Just make sure that the band that you do hire knows how to play the song or music that you are hoping to have at your wedding.

Instruments like guitar, Spanish guitar, saxophone, and piano are always great for weddings and you can often find local musical students who will be willing to play a wedding for small fees.

Mia LaCron is the founder of Cut-Wedding-Costs.info - http://www.cut-wedding-costs.info - devoted to helping individuals live out the wedding of their dreams on a realistic budget they can afford.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mia_LeCron
http://EzineArticles.com/?Saving-on-Wedding-Music&id=81307

written by admin

How to Look Good in Wedding Photographs
By Lesley-Ann Graham

The dress was beautiful, you got through the ceremony and reception without a hitch, but just when you thought your wedding was perfect, your pictures come back and you look awful. What can you do to make sure that your photos are as beautiful as the memories you have?

Here are some of the things you should consider:

- Never scrimp on your photographer. Nobody s going to remember if your bouquets had daisies or rare, exotic orchids. But years from now, your great grand children will be looking at your wedding album. They re not just souvenirs, they re heirlooms. Spend on them.

- Avoid complicated hairstyles and veils. You ll be walking around, too busy talking to guests to check the mirror. You don t want your veil hanging to the side, or your bangs plastered to your face. Keep it simple and elegant. If you want a dramatic veil for your walk down the aisle, look for a style that allows you to detach part of it, leaving you with something less cumbersome at the reception.

- Buy or make a small clutch bag or pouch that matches your gown. It should carry blotting paper, pressed powder, lipstick and blush. Ask your maid of honor to keep it handy for you.

- Wear waterproof mascara. You will cry a lot. It s guaranteed. Black mascara will run and leave unflattering raccoon eyes.

- Don t wear heavy powder eyeshadow. Again, you will cry. You will also sweat from walking around in heavy makeup, a thick gown, and hundreds of guests milling around you. Powder smears and cakes, and ends up under your eyes.

- Don t wear sheer lipstick. You ll eat it off. Or if you do, wear a matte or semi-matte base and apply the sheer lipstick as a top coat. Be sure to blot well, or it ll end up around your mouth or on your teeth.

- Don t wear heavy shimmery makeup, unless it s applied by a professional makeup artist. It doesn t photograph well under less than perfect lighting conditions. If you do, apply only on the eyes.

- Bridal makeup should be soft and romantic, not harsh. Natural pinks are most flattering, and really make you look like a “blushing bride”. Avoid hard-edged contouring and dramatic browns, unless blended well and kept close to the eyeline. Even lipsticks should stick to the pinks and brownish pinks. Bright reds look too harsh worn against a white dress.

- You ll need good foundation that lasts long but doesn t cake. The trick is to apply moisturizer first and let it “set”. This will prime your skin. Apply a matte or cream foundation, then concealer. Dust powder foundation with a brush.

- Take good photographs right after the ceremony, when everyone s make up is still intact. You should have solo shots, couple shots, and group photos with your entourage, friends, family members.

- Ask for a few black and white photographs. They always have a soft, romantic feel.

- If you ll be having outdoor photographs, light is most flattering in the morning and at dusk. Avoid any outdoor shots from 11am to 2pm everyone will just be squinting.

Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com - a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding. The Bride, Groom, Best Man, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen can find it all at http://www.WeddingTrix.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lesley-Ann_Graham
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Look-Good-in-Wedding-Photographs&id=205010

written by admin

How to Find Out If Your Wife or Girlfriend Is Cheating On You
By Brandi Simon

What drives a woman to cheat may look a lot different than what drives a man to cheat however it’s really not very different. Most extramarital affairs happen because of unmet needs in the relationship.

When your girlfriend or wife is unhappy in your relationship, you’d better watch out because women tend to have affairs when they feel disconnected from the marital relationship.

If you would just take a moment to look and listen, there are warning signs that are staring you right in the face. Below are the five most common signs that your wife or girlfriend might be having an affair, or at least is in danger of having one.

She doesn’t mind you spending a lot of your free time with you friends, watching TV, or playing on the computer (or any other thing that you do a lot of).

There are some women who don’t mind this to start with but this becomes a problem when at some point in the past your wife did mind these things. The fact that she no longer has a problem with them could mean that she feels you are not invested in the relationship.

She doesn’t ask you to go out with her the way she used to.

She has most likely given up hope of you actually wanting to do something that she wants to do. This is a dangerous place for her to be. Should she find a male “friend” that shares her interests she will be susceptible to an affair. If this sounds like your wife you can take measures to repair the damage to you marriage.

She doesn’t talk to you like she used to and/or she has a male friend who listens to her.

You better believe that if she isn’t talking to you, she is talking to someone. Women tend to need that emotional connection that sharing brings and they will generally develop an emotional attachment before sexual activities ensue. If your wife has stopped telling you the details of her day or sharing her feelings with you, you need to do something fast. This is a breading ground for an affair to develop in.

She has started working a lot of overtime, coming home late or leaving earlier in the morning.

This is pretty self explanatory. If you notice other signs and this one is also present you will need to figure out whether she is actually working or not.

She has started to avoid sex with you.

Most women need an emotional connection in order to feel desire. If she feels she does not have that connection with you she will start to pull away sexually. As she develops an emotional connection with another male what is left of her emotional connection to you will start to wane further.

There are ups and downs in every marriage. Try to remember that one of these signs by itself does not signify that an affair is taking place. If you only see a couple of signs you should count yourself lucky and work to improve that area of your marriage. However when you see multiple signs then you need to heed their warning. If an affair is not taking place it soon will be. Take the steps necessary to protect your most important asset, your marriage.

Brandi Simon is the owner of Marital Matters where she offers articles and information for those suffering the effects of an extramarital affair and other relationship issues. Brandi is an affair survivor who has successfully rebuilt her marriage from the ashes and offers advice to those who are recovering. To learn more about the website or Brandi, please visit Brandi Simon is the owner of Marital Matters where she offers articles and information for those suffering the effects of an extramarital affair and other relationship issues. Brandi is an affair survivor who has successfully rebuilt her marriage from the ashes and offers advice to those who are recovering. To learn more about the website or Brandi, please visit http://www.marital-matters.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandi_Simon
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Find-Out-If-Your-Wife-or-Girlfriend-Is-Cheating-On-You&id=43015

written by admin