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Official Guide for Relationship Advice

Dave Shields

Dave Shields is the Official SelfGrowth Guide for Relationship Advice.

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Relationship Advice

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Article
7 Ways To Improve Your Relationship

Good relationships don’t just happen. I’ve heard many of my clients state that, “If I have to work at it, then it’s not the right relationship.” This is not a true statement, any more than it’s true that you don’t have to work at good physical health ...

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Article
***Loving Yourself First

"I have an everyday religion that works for me. Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line." --Lucile Ball, 1911-1989, Comedienne and Actress Lucile Ball was a very smart woman! Do you believe that if you put others first, they will love and value you and you will feel loved? Has this worked for you?

10,775 views★ 4.1 (18)
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Article
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: 25 Ways To Show It

Permissions: You may publish this article free of charge in your ezine, web site, ebook or print publication so long as the copyright notice and the resource paragraph (at the end ofrnthe article) are included. Laurie Weiss, Ph.D. Email: media@laurieweiss.com ------------ Article Begins Below This Line ------------ R-E-S-P-E-C-T: 25 Ways To Show It Copyright 2004 Laurie Weiss, Ph.D. Convicted criminals report that their violent behavior was caused by perceived disrespect.* Everyone wants to be treated with respect, but respect means different things to different people.

31,803 views★ 2.0 (7)
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Article
One Myth about Affairs that Only Makes Your Broken Heart Pain Worse

If your partner had an affair, you might be trying to figure out how this happened. Whether you are still in this relationship or not, your heart might feel broken into a million pieces. Unfortunately, some of the beliefs that you may hold about infidelity could be making your broken heart pain worse than it already is. There are many misconceptions about why people cheat.

17,848 views★ 4.0 (8)
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Article
***How to Play Hard To Get The Correct Way

There is an excellent discussion going on in my private group: "For years we read from women that we should play hard to get. There are countless books written by women on this topic. What are your thoughts on why women believe we should play hard to get and men believe we should not? Do you believe women who hold the idea of playing hard to get contribute to their own demise?"

23,189 views★ 3.4 (5)
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Article
How To Build Good Character

Building good character is all about addition, not subtraction. What I mean is this: when it comes to change, our focus is usually on the aspects of our lives that are bad. We try to cut out or cut off these negative or bad qualities. We try to improve by subtraction. That is not how you build good character. It is the process of addition in your life that brings the character. In so doing, you automatically take care of the other negative aspects. As both a father and a pastor of a Church, I look for ways to continually add to the character of those I am responsible for.

12,251 views★ 3.7 (12)
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Article
After the Breakup: The Do’s and Don'ts of Dealing with Your Ex

Everyone knows breaking up is hard to do. But staying in contact with your ex following a breakup? That's where things get really tricky. By remaining in each other's lives, you run the risk of a post-breakup rendezvous, holding onto feelings for your ex, and in general delaying your ability to heal and move on quickly (and without additional heartache). The following are some tips to help you avoid a post-breakup backslide into your ex’s arms, and instead ease you into your happily ever after future: Tip #1: Create new boundariesr Your best defense after a breakup?

12,448 views★ 3.6 (12)
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Article
How To Become A Goddess That Men Adore By Not Pining For Any Man

Some women get really hurt from just a few month fling? Why? Because they invest too much, too soon in the relationship and have soaring expectations of it. They buy into the fairy tale they concoct themselves that this is it: he's the One and they're "in love" not realizing that the dizzying feeling of being in love is actually a function of chemical cocktails in the brain and can easily be induced upon oneself because it feels great to be in love. Everyone wants it. However, it's not necessarily so.

18,480 views★ 3.2 (5)
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Article
The Ultimate Guide To Texting A Man Without Killing His Attraction To You

Text messaging is one of the most powerful ways to flirt and build attraction and to lay a great foundation for a lasting relationship with a man. Unfortunately, many women are at a loss for how to properly leverage this technology to make a man feel intense level of attraction toward her with the use of a cell phone and an unlimited text messaging plan. Today all of that changes!

18,850 views★ 2.4 (5)
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Article
Am I Attractive Enough?

How many times a day do we wonder: am i attractive enough? The answer is not simple, yet it is. You are and you are not. It depends on to whom you are talking and what you mean by attractive. Why do we play this “attractive” game when we don’t know what we want to achieve by trying so hard to be ...

11,742 views★ 3.3 (8)
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Article
***"I Feel Empty"

If you feel empty, you are not alone in feeling this way. Many people feel empty inside, and most people who feel empty have some deep false beliefs regarding why they feel empty. Below are some of these false beliefs. I feel empty because: • My partner is not giving me enough love and attention. • I don't have a partner. • I'm bored because my partner doesn't provide me with enough stimulation.

10,289 views★ 4.3 (6)
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Article
What Men Are Attracted To

There’s a bit of a misconception amongst women that men are attracted to them primarily by how they look. Granted, men certainly are visually orientated but there’s actually something deeper going on that turns a man’s attention towards a woman. If you think that when you slip ...

16,494 views★ 2.6 (5)
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Article
Healing Emotional Dependency

You are emotionally dependent when your happiness, sense of safety, and sense of worth are dependent upon others' love, attention, and approval. When you were growing up, perhaps you heard statements like: "What will the neighbors think?" "What will__(so and so)__think if you do that?"

10,384 views★ 4.2 (6)
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Article
A Successful Life Starts with You - the Top 10 Questions to Ask

Don't we all want to grow into the fullest and most authentic expression of ourselves? Shakespeare wrote, "To thine own self be true." When it comes to creating a successful life the place to start is with ourselves. Read on and discover a daily practice to help you really get to know yourself! Success in life can mean different things for different people. But one thing that's common to most people's definition is the ability to be true to ourselves no matter what is going on around us.

6,844 views★ 4.0 (12)
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Article
My Boyfriend Left Me - Do I Want Him Back?

Wow, what a punch in the stomach. You were just dumped. It can be a shock, even if all the signs were there. Now comes the hard part, what to do next? If you've just said 'my boyfriend left me, what should I do now?" the answer might not be what you expected! As humans it is our nature, unfortunately, to want what we can't have. If your boyfriend just left you then your natural inclination is to want to get him back. Many times women in this situation will fight tooth and nail to get their guy back.

15,926 views★ 2.6 (5)
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Article
By Whole Person, Balanced Life
Toxin-free relationships: How to prioritize the people in your life.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is "Don't make people a priority who only make you an option". I often repeat this quote to myself and have it posted in several areas of my house, as well as my daily planner. It's something I try to remember on a daily basis. We talk a lot about the toxins in our environment, our personal care products and our food. But there is another place where we can get exposed to emotional and mental toxins, and that is in our day to day relatio

12,212 views★ 3.8 (5)
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Article
Common Problems with Online Dating

Finding that special someone is something that most people dream about. Unfortunately doing that is not as easy as it sounds. Everyone has advice for you as to how you should go about finding that potential soul mate. However, no method is fool proof. In fact, due to dating desperation many people have turned to online dating as a relationship resource. The truth is that when online dating first came about there was quite a bit of stigma surrounding it.

13,143 views★ 3.4 (5)
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Article
What Is Emotional Dependency?

Are you emotionally dependent? You might want to go through this checklist. __I cannot feel lovable and worthy without another's approval. __I need a lot of attention from certain people to feel that I am okay. __I don't trust my own feelings. I need others' to validate my feelings. __I am afraid of rejection. I isolate, or try to be perfect, or agree with others, or give myself up, or shut down, and/or do many other things to avoid rejection. __I am afraid to be alone. __I often feel empty inside. __I am often anxious around others.

9,438 views★ 3.9 (7)
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Article
***The Silent Treatment

Research indicates that children would rather be yelled at than ignored. When prisoners are being punished, they are put in isolation, because being isolated is one of the harshest punishments there is - other than physical abuse. The silent treatment is a form of punishment, a way to attempt to control children and partners into doing what you want them to do. It is a withdrawal of approval, and can cause much fear in people who are vulnerable to this.

10,155 views★ 4.2 (5)
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Article
By Steve Steiner
3 Make Ex Girlfriend Jealous Tips To Make Her Regret Leaving

So, you've been dumped and now you want to make your girlfriend jealous so she'll go on bended knee to get you back. Of course, I don't know how your breakup came about, but maybe it was a little too hurtful and she needs to really understand that. Maybe you want her back in a way that she realizes that you're something special and not to be taken for granted. Whatever, but you need to bend the power of jealousy in a way that annoys her like a persistent itch. Make Ex Girlfri

17,444 views★ 1.6 (5)
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Article
Dealing With Unrealistic Expectations In Marriage

One of the great relationship destroyers is that of unrealistic expectations. Expecting something out of the relationship that the other is either ignorant of, unwilling to provide, or simply unable to provide. Frustration and anger is the result. This article deals with differing expectations and how to deal with them. Everyone has expectations. I met a guy once who argued that point. He told me that he had no expectations in life. I challenged him with, "You go to school right?

11,300 views★ 2.7 (7)
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Article
***Do You Wake Up Happy or Anxious?

"I can have a really great day, but when I wake up the next morning I feel anxious. Sometimes the better day I've had, the more anxious I am the next morning. I can't figure it out." I hear this over and over from my clients. What is happening here? The Tyranny of the Ego Wounded Self

7,212 views★ 5.0 (6)
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Article
The Ultimate Solution To The Puzzle: Why He Disappears/Dump You And How To Get Him Back

I've received so many requests for advice from women who are desperate because their men either broke up with them or became more and more distant and less willing to keep in touch or show affection. I can relate to that. I have had my share of similar experience in my 20's when a man whom I was so attracted to and who was so hot in pursuing me became cold when I showed too much eage ess. And the more I tried to prove myself to him, the more distant he was. Finally, I never heard from him again. And it took me 2 years to get over him for a few weeks of intense fling we had.

12,490 views★ 2.8 (5)
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Article
Dealing With The Pressures And Stresses Of Life

There is a difference between pressure and stress. One causes the other, and one we can reduce and shunt off. Learn the difference between these two in your life and what you can do about them. Stress is the product of pressure. Set an empty plastic water bottle upright and place the palm of your hand on the cap. Apply pressure by pressing down. The pressure is applied to the top of the bottle, but the stress will reveal itself at the weakest point in the bottle. Usually, this is halfway down the bottle at the narrow part.

8,697 views★ 3.6 (7)
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Article
"We Can't Communicate"

What are couples really meaning when they say, "We can't communicate"? The issue with understanding what this means is what they mean by "communicate." All too often, when a partner states, "We can't communicate," what he or she means is "I can't get my partner to listen to me and understand things from my point of view." And unde eath this is, "If my partner only understood things through my eyes, he or she would then change and do things my way."

10,275 views★ 3.2 (6)
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Article
Suddenly Single: How to Reinvent Yourself After Heartbreak

Whether you just got out of a relationship, or have been struggling to heal your broken heart for some time now, figuring out how to move on can be confusing, fear-inducing, and downright uncomfortable. Not only do you have to let go of your past, but you’ve got to be willing to embrace the unknown future. If the task sounds daunting, don’t worry. By unlocking the following seven secrets, you’ll unleash your personal reinvention and go from “I’ll never be the same” to “What was his name?” in no time!

9,682 views★ 3.3 (6)
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Article
***What’s Sex Got To Do With It?

By America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts. Older adults between the ages of 57 and 85 make sex an important part of their lives! That’s the results of the first comprehensive national survey of the sexual attitudes and behaviors of older adults as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. And, as you might have guessed, our more than 25 years of research with successfully married couples offered the same conclusions.

2,490 views★ 4.4 (28)
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Article
Rebuilding Your Relationship To Rekindle The Passion

There comes a point in almost any successful relationship where things calm down and cool off. There is no longer a major spark between the partners. They get comfortable in their relationship and develop a routine. They no longer find as much time to spend together. Often, this is not due to a lack of desire between the couple. Most often it is the fact that life gets in the way. They may have children or careers to deal with. They are busy and just do not have the free time that they had when their relationship was in the beginning stages.

9,833 views★ 2.6 (7)
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Article
How You Can Use Texting To Transform Your Love Life and Make Him More Passionate and Romantic

The amount of time we get to spend with our partners is less and less. Commutes are longer, people often spend eight or ten hours at the computer and in meetings. Our increasingly complex lives also come with a host of professional, personal, and hobby-related commitments. As a result, the amount of quality time we have available to spend with our partner declines. Using technology to send an affectionate or a sexy text is a great way to create touch points with your love throughout the day.

11,201 views★ 2.6 (5)
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Article
***Core Sadness vs. Wounded Sadness

Very often, in my work with my clients, when I ask them what they are feeling they say, "I feel sad." Often, they do not know why they feel sad. Sadness comes from two very different sources. Core Sadness Core sadness is sadness that is in reaction to something that is happening or has happened exte ally. Many life situations can cause sadness, such as:

6,011 views★ 4.3 (7)
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Article
Broken Heart Advice: Coping Tips When You Just Can't Let Go

Breaking up or getting a divorce might have been your idea. It could be that you, your partner or both of you were caught in destructive behaviors that could only be stopped by ending your relationship. Maybe there was abuse of some kind involved. Or perhaps the troubles in your relationship were less overtly damaging, but they seemed unresolvable and the dynamics were making you both miserable and unhappy. As much as you know, deep down, that ending your relationship and moving on with your life was the “best” decision, your heart might feel broken.

5,759 views★ 4.4 (7)
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Article
After the Breakup: 4 Valuable Love Lessons

Whenever I’m at a dinner party and meet somebody new, the inevitable question comes up: What do you do? When I tell them I’m a heartbreak reinvention coach, it always leads to an interesting conversation. Usually, I get to hear the story of Their Big Breakup, and it’s always gut-wrenching, soul-shifting, and chock full of life lessons. Having written about my Big Breakup in my book It’s a Breakup, Not a Breakdown and the follow up workbook, I can tell you easily what my lessons were. In sharing them, I have discovered that they are pretty universal.

5,751 views★ 3.5 (10)
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Article
*** Emotional Dependency vs. Emotional Freedom

What is Emotional Dependency? Lydia consulted with me because her relationship with her husband, Andrew, was falling apart. Andrew had moved out, stating that he could no longer tolerate Lydia's neediness and constant pull on him to make her feel loved and secure. Now that they were separated, Lydia's emotional dependency was getting even worse. She was deeply addicted to Andrew making her feel better, if only through a brief text message.

7,636 views★ 3.5 (6)
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Article
Trust in Relationships

In my work with couples, I often find a lack of trust at the root of many challenges they report. Trust is a Verb We have been taught to believe trust is a commodity to be earned by others. Once they have passed certain tests, then we feel safe to extend our trust. I would like to entertain ...

5,950 views★ 4.1 (7)
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Article
Hurt Feelings vs. Hurt Heart

Clifford, 42, married with children, told me during a phone session that he was tired of not feeling happy and joyous. "As a small child, I remember being so happy and excited about life. But my parents didn't receive me at all. They were indifferent to my creativity and excitement." "Clifford, how did you feel when they didn't receive you?" "Shattered."

6,396 views★ 4.2 (6)
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Article
3 Tips for Stopping Jealousy Before It Snowballs into Something Unstoppable

We've all seen cartoons in which a character shapes snow into a ball, perhaps to build a snowman. As the ball of snow is rolled, it grows bigger and bigger. Pretty soon that snowball is quite large and here comes a slope or hill... The next thing we see are the arms and legs of our beloved mouse, dog or other cartoon character sticking out from this gigantic snowball that is quickly rolling down the hill, continuing to grow and knock out anything in its way. Giant out-of-control snowballs are funny in cartoons, but there's nothing funny when jealousy snowballs in your relationship.

4,446 views★ 4.2 (10)
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Article
*** Relationships: Giving Yourself Up Can Kill You

Years ago, when on a book tour for our book, "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?", my ex-husband and I had dinner with a couple on the East Coast with whom he had become friends. I connected with Allison (not her real name) immediately. Warm and open, I could see that she was a deeply caring woman. On the other hand, her husband Ken, while overtly charming, had a huge black hole inside that felt like a vacuum cleaner sucking the energy out of everyone. His need for attention was overwhelming to me.

5,626 views★ 3.5 (8)
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Article
***Does Psychotherapy Work?

Many years ago, when I became a psychotherapist, all I knew was the traditional psychotherapy that I had learned in school, and that I had personally experienced with many different therapists and many different forms of therapy. For 18 years I practiced what I had learned, and I was never happy with the results.

4,976 views★ 3.7 (9)
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Article
Law of Attraction: The Importance of Feeling Good

"It's really important that you feel good. Because this feeling good is what goes out as a signal into the universe and starts to attract more of itself to you. So the more you can feel good, the more you will attract the things that help you feel good and that will keep bringing you up higher and higher." --Joe Vitale,?Author and Speaker The "Law of Attraction" states that like attracts like. Most Law of Attraction gurus state that there are four steps to manifestation:

6,030 views★ 3.4 (7)
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Article
The Importance of Presenting a United Front Before Your Children

Conflicting authority is the largest contributor to rebellion in children. When parents--authority--conflict it can cause rebellion in your children. You, as parents, need to have a united front for your children. Here are some tips on how this can be done. Rebellion is the result of conflicting authority. When authority can't provide a united front, it is very dangerous. There are several things you can do to provide a unified front before your kids. 1. Discuss rules and discipline together. Come to a full agreement on all aspects of it--before you implement them. 2.

7,321 views★ 3.2 (5)
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Article
By Gregory Smith, MidlifeBachelor.com
Early Signs a New Relationship Won't Last

The following article originally appeared on www.midlifebachelor.com on June 14, 2009 ... Choosing to invest in a new relationship directly affects your own level of personal happiness especially in the near-term ... and so it is extremely important to keep your eyes and ears open, and be aware of any potential incompatibilities as early as possible. There is absolutely no shame nor harm in cutting one's losses - because you are doing everyone a favor by ending it early if yo

7,409 views★ 3.0 (5)
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Article
***Healing Social Phobia

What is Social Phobia? Social phobia - or social anxiety - is the fear of interacting with others in various situations: groups, work, school, parties, on the telephone, in a market or store, and so on. People with social phobia experience extreme anxiety or panic when they know that they have to talk or interact with others. They often find themselves isolating rather than risk the rejection or ridicule that they fear.

5,371 views★ 4.4 (5)
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