Unfortunately, you cannot force someone to be interested in anything. Willingness is a key component to developing interest. My plea for those in this situation is to not overpersonalize the lack of interest shown so far, but instead communicate what you want directly. You are not without options to address this, but there are effective and ineffective ways to handle it.
That same night, he texted me and asked if he could see me again at the end of the week. He sent a restaurant and a time and asked if that was OK with my taste and schedule. I agreed. Over the next few days, he texted and called me, and we had good conversations. It all felt so intentional.
First off, you don't have to just accept it. Though the method you describe worked, in general, much as it did for ancient Greece's Lysistrata, it's not a perfect tool for negotiation (as that title character in Aristophanes' play would attest). What you're looking for is respect and an equal footing in your partnership. That's something that you deserve. Every relationship, marriages included, is reliant on communication. Communication patterns and strategies vary person to person and relationship to relationship.
Please consider a change in attitude. You stated that your husband's children are polite and cordial with you. They may not dislike you as much as fear that getting too close to you might alienate their mother. Your husband should be able to invite his children into the home you share if he wishes, and the atmosphere should be as warm and welcoming as you can manage.
If it's been awhile since you've sought out a new friend and you're feeling a bit rusty, try developing what Vellos calls "friendship intuition." That means knowing who to prioritize, how to spend time together and what to do if the vibes just aren't there. In a conversation with Life Kit, Vellos shares insights on how to turn a stranger into a friend, based on scientific research and her work as a friendship coach. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
My wife, Mabel, leaves a permanent pile of clothes in our bedroom on a chair. I call it the Monster. It feels as if there are thousands of T-shirts, trousers and sweatshirts always stacked there. I hate it. I don't know how she finds anything. Also, it's a pain: the chair is between the bed and my side of the wardrobe, and sometimes the pile is so huge that it stops me from accessing my own clothes.
What I've discovered is that the people who earn genuine, lasting respect aren't doing something special. They're actually not doing certain things that the rest of us can't seem to resist. Psychology backs this up. Research on social dynamics and group behavior reveals that respect isn't earned through dominance or attention-seeking. It's earned through restraint, authenticity, and a quiet confidence that doesn't need constant validation.
"Monkey branching is when a person stays in their current relationship, even though they know they want to leave, in order to line up their next partner," said clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff. The idea is that by monkey branching (or "monkey barring"), you can avoid having to be alone after a relationship ends. There's no real "break" after the breakup, as you've already formed romantic interest in someone else.
You could tell your girlfriend what you think about her reactions and ask her to change them, but I have a better, more efficient idea: Change your own response to her meltdowns. You mention a couple of times in this letter what you're "having to" do to accommodate the emotional spirals, and that's the part I think we should examine. It's what you're doing, but is it actually required?
First of all, let me put your mind at ease. Having this thought does not make you a villain. It makes you a long-term partnered adult with a pulse. Most people don't wake up one morning and think, "Ah yes, swinging - this will clearly solve everything." Curiosity like this usually shows up more quietly. It's often less about wanting other people and more about wanting something back: playfulness, aliveness, the feeling that sex is still a place of discovery.
My husband is 76 but doesn't look a day over 60. He has a full head of hair with little graying, no facial wrinkles, and he's fairly fit. I'm 71 and look every day my age, probably older. I have graying hair lots of it but I like the color and will never dye it. I am fit, but the deep facial wrinkles and turkey neck emphasize my age.
Kim was pictured putting her finger on the smitten Garrett's chin. Was she wiping leftover jam from breakfast off his face? Or perhaps pointing to a spot he missed shaving? Whatever the reason, cute cute cute! In another photo, she looks like she's telling Garrett a fascinating detail of her 90.25 score on the first run that may have allayed concerns about her shoulder injury. He looks rapt/concerned/in love or perhaps all three.
Altering your appearance (and perhaps life) because of a bad experience is giving that size queen way too much power. The first thing I want you to consider instead is therapy. Five inches is typically quoted as average in studies, though a recent meta-study of many studies of penis length found that the average has bumped up to six inches. That means even if you aren't quite average, you're within spitting distance of it.
Recently, I was at a family gathering when I noticed something fascinating. My friend's grandmother, in her eighties, was completely surrounded by her adult grandchildren. They weren't just there out of obligation - they were genuinely engaged, laughing at her stories, asking for advice, and making plans for their next visit. Meanwhile, at another table, I watched a different grandmother sit mostly alone while her adult grandchildren stayed glued to their phones, offering only polite nods and forced smiles.
Fans began speculating on the status of the pair's relationship upon discovering that they no longer follow each other on Instagram. Though that remains the case as of Tuesday afternoon, Cardi B's Instagram page still features photos of Diggs. A source confirmed to Entertainment Tonight on Monday that Cardi B and Diggs "recently broke up" and said the two may get back together. "This could just be for right now," the source told ET, adding that the " Am I the Drama?" musician is focusing on her family "while figuring out their next steps."
Key points Seasonal hormone shifts and holiday pressure can heighten the urge for connection in fall and winter. Many cuffing season relationships rely on comfort and proximity rather than long-term compatibility. A relationship built to last will sustain experiences outside the winter "bubble" and shared routines. Long before the internet, scientists, psychologists, and sociologists observed that seasonal changes in our hormones can influence our relationships with one another.
You already know that a lot of our work takes place in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. But the truth is, a lot of our work also takes place on...Slack. (An instant messaging platform for grown-ups, in case you haven't had the pleasure. Like AIM but less fun.) Today I'm giving you a guest pass and inviting you to crash one of our channels. On Friday, I chatted with executive director of video Dan Siegel, senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic, Test Kitchen editor Rebecca Firkser, and social media manager Cristina Correa, all about cooking with their partners. Join us!
I've been in a long-distance, open relationship with "Tom" for nearly a year. When we first met, we were only planning to be casual BDSM play partners, but we both felt an instant connection and started a romantic relationship a few months later. When we first met, I told him that I didn't need to know about his other partners as long as he was using protection and getting tested, and he agreed.
More often than not, however, the problem is not a lack of love. Instead, it is the absence of a far more specific and demanding skill: the ability to metabolize a rupture without rushing to resolution. This skill is a decisive factor in the fate of our relationships. It determines whether conflict deepens intimacy or corrodes it, whether repair restores trust or merely papers over harm, and, most important, whether love matures or slowly folds under the weight of unresolved emotional residue.
Ever notice how some people just draw you in? I used to think it was pure charisma, something you either had or didn't. Then I spent years interviewing over 200 people for articles, and something clicked. The most magnetic people, the ones who made me lose track of time during our conversations, all had something in common: They used certain phrases that made me feel genuinely heard and valued. It wasn't about being the loudest or most entertaining person in the room. These naturally charismatic
And ever since the dating app Plenty of Fish included it as a trend in its annual report last year, it appears to have kicked off in a big way. People are going on dates at the gym. They're going on gardening dates. They're even turning the weekly shop into a date. This is so depressing. Where's the romance? That's
Just ask: 'what makes you feel most loved?' She says the answer can reveal emotional needs even long-term couples may not fully understand. 'It helps couples understand each other's love languages, what each person needs to feel special and cared for,' Nadkarni told Reader's Digest. Even highly compatible couples can differ in attachment styles and love languages, which can affect how they give and receive affection.
Kyle was incredibly panicked when I opened the door, and he saw it was me. He begged me not to say anything to his wife. According to Kyle, he has been miserable in his marriage, and seeing other women on the side helps him "maintain his sanity." I was so flustered in the moment that I agreed to keep my mouth shut.
Using experiments where over 100 university students were confronted with differing viewpoints, either during an online chat or while watching a video, researchers discovered that simply 'feeling heard' sparked more positivity and interest. Even if the two people never agree on a specific topic, asking someone to lay out the key points of their argument made participants feel like someone was interested in their opinion.
Love is more than a physical attraction and belief in the concept of soul mates. Love is also about choices, decisions, and even forgiveness. Lasting relationships can thrive when partners: Gratitude strengthens love It was a conversation with John Kralik, author of 365 Thank Yous, that inspired Revitalize Your Love Life with a Three-Day Gratitude Plan. With the gratitude plan, you are essentially clearing out feelings that keep your relationship from thriving. The ultimate goal is to create a mindset for unconditional love.
Relationships that matter will, at some point, require two people to sit across from each other and have a hard conversation. Disappointment, hurt, boundaries, power, change, or loss-no matter how emotionally challenging the topic, they're all non-negotiable subjects that need to be discussed in relationships. In a sense, they're a part of the regular relationship curriculum that people don't talk about.
