What makes a loving relationship? Lots and lots of things, all based around a central theme of love, respect and friendship. There is no great secret as to what makes a loving relationship, just a willingness to work at the relationship day after day, in good times and bad. You cannot really call it work can you? Doing your best to look after and make happy the love of your life.

Couples who are in a loving relationship will give of themselves without expecting any reward, they instinctively know what the other needs and will help and support their partners without a second thought. They are able to do this because apart from the fact that they want to, they have taken the time to learn what their partner needs from the relationship and they are happy to help them achieve it. However to reach this kind of nirvana you have to be prepared to make yourself vulnerable.

You need to know and understand your partner and they need to know you. If you do not know your partner how can you help them to grow within the relationship, how can they help you? You need to be completely open and honest with each other, this will mean letting each other into areas where you could be vulnerable but it will bring you much closer together. If you hold back from your partner the you are automatically throwing up walls and to a degree pushing your partner away. You need to ask yourselves, what kind of relationship can you have if your partner only knows a part of you.

It is true that opposites attract and I am sure that there are opposites who have gone on to build very successful relationships. What will help you is if you like your partner, if your partner is your best friend, if you have shared interests. If all goes well you could be together for decades, it is a long time to be with someone if you do not like them.

One of the great pillars of a loving relationship is communication, which is hardly surprising when you look at how many aspects of the relationship are affected by communication. Communication pulls you together, it helps you to share thoughts, ideas, emotion and new experiences. It all helps to enrich your relationship.

In addition to talking with each other, you need to be able to spend quality time together when it is just the two of you. This will be a lot easier at first but as time passes on there will be work commitments, kids and a host of other things that life will throw at you. It is far to easy to forget that the important thing in the relationship is you two, nothing else matters as much, so you need that time together or else you will drift apart. Go on dates, vacations, walks, movies, it does not matter what you do, the important thing is that you get some you time where you take pleasure in each others company, bring yourselves closer together and dare I say it... You might even enjoy yourselves. I am sure that you enjoyed dating when you started building your relationship, there is no reason why you should stop enjoying yourselves!

Do not forget to give yourselves some me time. You are going to have your own friends and interests and you need time to devote to them. It will help you to unwind, give you something to talk about and bring fresh ideas and experiences to the relationship.

So what makes a loving relationship? You do. Comfort and support your partner, offer your energy without expecting anything in return. Just as you made a commitment to be with your partner are you consistent in your love for them. You do not get to choose the good bits or the bad bits in a relationship, you will face some rocky times but if you have a strong, healthy loving relationship you will find a way through and you will do it together. Keep a hold of your individuality, it is what makes you, it is who you are. Accept who your partner is, after all they have something which drew you to them so do not lose it by trying to change your relationship into some kind of sterile ideal. Focus on the positives and not the negatives and take pleasure in sharing your partners life.

Being a student of life I thought it about time to get my ideas down in the hope that they will help people with whatever difficulties they are facing. If you want to read further into the mysteries of understanding the opposite sex and relationships then my site might be of interest to you. Whatever your situation I wish you luck.
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Do you wonder if there are specific things that cause a man to fall in love beside chemistry? Are you involved in a relationship that seems stuck? Do you understand the stages of love? Can you identify where you are in the process? The answers to these questions can help you determine if you are on the right track to making a guy fall in love.

What are the stages of love?

Physical Attraction

Most of us understand that love typically begins with physical attraction. And unfortunately, this is where many of us get stuck when seeking out new relationships. First, there are the women who rely solely on their sex appeal. These women usually have no problem attracting the attention of men, but they often find themselves in multiple relationships within short periods of time that never really go anywhere.

Second, there are the women at the other end of the spectrum who don't believe they have any sex appeal at all. These women often have trouble getting past a casual conversation with a man because they typically take themselves too seriously and come across as insecure.

Like most things in life, falling somewhere in the middle of the two extremes is ideal. We all know plenty of average people who are involved in amazing, loving, committed relationships. How do they do it? They are realistic about the importance of physical attraction. They know it's important, but they also know that it won't sustain a relationship for the long term. They managed to move from lust through the other stages of love. If you can get past lust, you are well on your way to making a guy fall in love.

Interest

Interest follows right on the heels of physical attraction. This is where your personality and intrigue come into play. During this phase a man cannot stop wondering about you, and he will do everything he can to get to know you better. In this stage it is important to give him the information he desires, but only a little bit at a time and in a very playful way. This is not the time to share things like family drama, medical issues, emotional hang ups, past hurts, and negative attitudes.

During the interest phase, many women make the mistake of sharing too much too soon. They also tend to start thinking about the future after only a few dates. Resist doing either one. There is a lot you don't know about this guy. During the interest phase, you should ask a lot of questions to find out how a man thinks about life and love. You are evaluating your potential compatibility. You need to ask questions in such a way that they come across as just being curious rather than feeling like an interrogation. Tell him you read an interesting book about relationships, point out a fact or snippet from the book, and ask him what he thinks about it. He won't feel pressured if you are speaking in generalities.

Bonding

Bonding is when two people begin to establish a relationship of trust and intimacy. You begin sharing more of your personality, goals, values, and ambitions. The mistake women most often make here is getting impatient and pushing for some type of commitment. It is important to know that when men get to this stage, they really start to pay attention to the details. They are emotionally invested, but not to the degree you may think. This is also when women tend to get clingy. If they sense any hesitancy on the man's part, they will begin to worry that something is wrong and start trying to force a man in the direction they want things to go. Instead, focus on ways to enhance your life and improve yourself. Once you are at this stage, let your guy set the pace for moving the relationship to a committed level.

There is no set time-frame for going from physical attraction to making a guy fall in love. It will be different in every situation. The first two stages usually move along at a faster pace than the third one does.

Imagine what if you could make any man adore you, chase you, love you, and commit to you? Click Unforgettable Woman Advice and learn 77 Secrets that ninety percent of women have never heard. You have got to see this!

This article is contributed by Tina Jones. Tina is part of the Unforgettable Woman Publishing Team. She works together with founder Alexandra Fox and writes dating/relationship articles for women who want to understand male psychology, how to attract men, and find true love. You can find more about Unforgettable Woman Publishing by visiting their website.

How do you make a guy fall in love? Does it just happen, or are three things that you can do to trigger these feelings within a man? How does a relationship progress from casual dating to love and ultimately to commitment? If you are wondering what you can do to improve the chances that your guy will fall in love, keep reading for common sense advice about relationships.

Human beings are rarely satisfied. It is human nature to continually work toward and strive for greater levels of success and satisfaction. This is an admirable quality and one that men find very attractive in women. There is one area however, where this drive for taking things to the next level can get a little tricky. Men and women often have divergent goals when it comes to love and relationships. Women typically get excited about the prospects for the future while men seem to waiver and hesitate about moving forward to something more serious.

What should you do if you are in a relationship with a great guy who doesn't seem ready for love or commitment?

Be honest

Women are often warned about not talking to men about things like commitment and marriage. While it is wise to be selective about when and how you bring up these topics, it is equally important that you are honest with yourself and with a man about your expectations for the future. It is a mistake to keep this information to yourself and then get upset when things don't seem to be headed in the direction you had imagined.

One of the best no pressure ways to find out how a man feels about love and commitment early on is to ask questions. Find out what his family was like growing up. Has a negative experience colored his view of commitment and marriage? If so, that could be a warning sign that there will be some challenges to overcome. Find out what his future goals are. Does he even mention settling down at some point?

When it's your turn to share your thoughts about the future, be honest. Saying something like "my parents had a great relationship and I want something similar for my own life" is much different than "I can't wait to get married and have a family." The first statement tells a man that you are thinking about the future and your ultimate goal is commitment with the right person. The second statement says that you are too eager and anxious. With the right approach, you can make a guy fall in love.

Present a continuous challenge

Relationships grow when there is sufficient challenge to propel them forward. Both positive and negative challenges are beneficial to growing relationships. Negative challenges demonstrate your ability to cope and work as a team. Positive challenges demonstrate your ability as a couple to achieve great results together.
Most people don't go looking for negative challenges. They just happen and you have to be prepared when they do. But you can create positive challenges within a relationship.

Encouraging him to pursue his ambitions is one way to challenge your man, but challenges don't always have to be serious. Men love physical activity so why not use that to your advantage? Playful competitions can keep him interested and have him wondering what's next.

Keep the passion alive

You want to keep reminding a man about why he was attracted to you in the first place. Don't assume that because you snagged him, you can settle into neutral. In fact, this is exactly what men fear will happen and is part of their resistance to love and commitment.

If you want to make a guy fall in love, you must first be honest. Many men will tell you that it's hard to find a women who can be honest about her feelings without getting too emotional. Also remember that men need almost constant stimulation and challenges to feel happy. And finally, don't allow the passion to die.
Demonstrate to your guy that you know how to keep things exciting and you should have no problem getting the relationship to the next level.

Imagine what if you could make any man adore you, chase you, love you, and commit to you? Click Unforgettable Woman Advice and learn 77 Secrets that 99% of women have never heard. You have got to see this!

This article is contributed by Tina Jones from the Unforgettable Woman Publishing Team. She works together with founder Alexandra Fox and writes dating/relationship articles for women. You can find more about Unforgettable Woman Publishing by visiting their website.

Think of a great relationship as though it were a great meal: A delicious, meaty steak of sexual passion accompanied by a fine, delicate wine of romance and commitment. Both of us want it all -- the perfect, satisfying course. And we need both -- steak by itself is dry and unsatisfying; and wine will get you tipsy, but it won't satisfy your hunger. Now, before the metaphor police revoke my license, let me simply push this analogy a little further: Men are a little more focused on the meat of the relationship, and women a bit more on the wine. But both sexes want to get up from the table completely satisfied. Need evidence? More than three-fourths of men believe in soul mates (see above). And when we asked our guys to choose between meeting the love of their life or having amazing sex for six months, 92 percent chose falling in love. (The other 8 percent were probably Maxim readers.) Consider what these three men said about the experience of falling in love:

"We need to feel love, loyalty, and chemistry above all else," says Ian, 31.

"Men also feel the butterflies and giddiness that women do when they're in love," says Robert, 26.

"Women don't realize most guys are in love long before they are willing to admit it to anyone," says Drew, 30.

So why then does it always seem like women are leading the relationship toward commitment, and men need to be dragged along like a preschooler to a dentist appointment? Because in the early-on Stratego game of dating, we need to see where you're moving first. Consider this: Less than half of men say they're typically the first ones to say "I love you" in a relationship, and more women than men initially broach the subject of taking the relationship to the next level.

That points to the notion that what men really want when it comes to love is your assurance -- your permission, really -- that it's okay to let the butterflies out of the cage.

Michael, 37, a restaurant owner in North Carolina, says he's cautious about expressing himself early on -- not because he's complacent or wants to play games or wants to make the woman squirm like a mouse in a cat's mouth. He holds back because he's waiting to get the signal that it's okay to press the accelerator.

"I love to hear that I'm her dream come true, or some version of that, if that's the case," he says. "I need a little praise and attention, just as much as she needs it from me. That's the sign I need. Then, I know I can give her what she needs."

Chris, 29, a recently married public defender, agrees. "Men need to be told that they're wanted," he says. "Women forget that if they like a nice guy, that the nice guy might be too nervous to tell them what he feels." And then he added this interesting insight: "Women need to be more open to being hurt the way guys are every day."

Hold on a second. Guys are hurt more often than women?

Hmm. Think about it: In the romance game, it's usually the man who makes the first move (usually after you've dropped him countless hints waiting for him to finally pick up on them). But in doing so, men open themselves up to more rejection than a telemarketing trainee. And believe me, even George Clooney has a psychic master list of turn-downs that he still winces over from time to time.

So once a man has crossed that first barrier -- okay, you like him, it's safe -- he's reluctant to cross the next. Like monkeys in a lab, we've been shocked plenty of times before, and if we're in a safe place with you, we're happy simply to stay there. So it's a delicate balance -- a woman needs to signal that it's okay for him to take the next step, without making him feel as if he's being pushed toward it. Let him know that you feel there's something really special between you. Let him know it's okay if he lets himself feel that, too. But proceed cautiously -- there's danger ahead, as you'll see.

How Do I Know Where This Relationship is Heading?

I've been seeing a guy for about three weeks, and I feel like it's going to be pretty serious. After the first two dates, we've been seeing each other a lot. Last week, we got together twice during the week and twice on the weekend. I'd like to talk about where this is headed, but I don't want to scare him away. I just want to make sure we're both on the same page about where we are, whether we're seeing other people, and where this might go. What's he thinking?

He's thinking that, three weeks into dating, he doesn't want to have this conversation. To him, that's a relationship birth announcement. Today, we welcome the birth of a beautiful committed couple, weighing in at eight dates, two movies, and six orgasms (five for him, one for her): It's Bob and Cindy! Congratulations! It's too formal, too official, too planned. And that formality serves as the fire extinguisher to the initial spark he's been feeling. "The only thing worse than a woman who doesn't show any interest after a few dates is a woman who shows too much," says Anthony, 25. Terry, 32, adds: "Slow down. Please don't tell us that you love us after three weeks." Think of it this way. You know how you don't like when he skips the foreplay and goes right to the sex? When you talk about the status of a relationship too early, it's like skipping the foreplay of pursuit and going right to the private parts of commitment. If he's seeing you four times a week, then it's a good sign that your relationship is headed in the right direction. Just let him have some fun -- and some mystery -- while he's getting there.

How Do I Know When It's Time to Tell Him my Feelings?

I've been seeing a man for only two months. Perfect guy. He's funny, has a great job, I love hanging out with him. We even took this great weekend vacation together and everything seemed to click. I just have this feeling that this is going to work, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way. I don't want to blow it, and while I obviously don't want to pretend to be somebody that I'm not, I also don't want to do anything that could jeopardize the relationship. Any hints for how to take things from here?

Two months may seem like a blip on the relationship radar, but for some guys, that qualifies as a full-fledged era. At this point, men certainly want some honesty. "If she is more open with me, I'll be more open with her, especially at the beginning when you're both feeling each other out, emotionally," says Warren, 33. But that comes with a caution. Feel free to be honest about your feelings, but don't make assumptions about his. Don't use the word us. At this stage, you'll solidify your primo status if you talk about what you like about him, what you get out of a relationship with him, what turns you on about him. Us scares him; him excites him. (Yes, we're our own favorite subject, but that's just human nature.) It's a way of saying you love the relationship while giving him the ego-boosting rush he craves -- all without making him think you're brushing up on the four Cs of diamond shopping. At this still-early stage, that's a secret to tip-toeing between giving him permission to love and giving him a reason to leave.

Should I Give Him an Ultimatum?

My live-in boyfriend and I have been seeing each other for about a year and a half, living together for somewhere around six months. I'm 31 and my family is giving me a hard time -- like I should just go ahead and move on if he's not going to be the one because I'm wasting time. My best friend even says to me that there's no way he's going to marry me because he's getting all the sex of a nonmarried relationship without the commitment. I've debated a lot about giving him an ultimatum or a deadline, but something tells me that's a bad idea. How will I know if he's ever going to be ready to make the next step?

You may think that men are afraid of the marriage commitment because we want to leave options open, because we're waiting for something better, or because we fear it'll be the official end of hot-tub sex. Jay, 30, says a man's hesitation isn't about indifference; it's actually the opposite. "Men are just as unsure about the relationship thing as women," he says. "I'm getting married in a couple months to a woman I love deeply, who I know will be a fantastic wife and mother to my future children. Is she my soul mate? Tough question, but if not, she's pretty darn close." When we decide we want to be married, we want to do the right thing -- for both of us. So should you give him an ultimatum? I don't think so. If you've been honest with him about your feelings for him -- for him, not for "the relationship" -- then you're probably at the point in your relationship where you should be able to ask him straight up about his feelings for you. If he can't tell you what he thinks and what he feels, well, that's probably your answer.

Reprinted from: Men, Love & Sex: The Complete User's Guide for Women by David Zinczenko with Ted Spiker © 2006 David Zinczenko. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling at (800) 848-4735.

David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men's Health magazine, has written op-ed pieces for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today and is a frequent guest on the Today show, talking about men and relationships. In 2003, People magazine named him one of the "50 Most Eligible Bachelors." He divides his time between Allentown, Pennsylvania, and New York City.

Ted Spiker, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Florida, is a contributing editor to Men's Health. He lives in Gainesville, Florida. For more information, visit www.menloveandsex.com [http://www.menloveandsex.com] or www.rodalestore.com