Relationship Blog

Successful Online Dating

2014-02-14T11:10:00.000+00:00

Online dating is becoming more popular, not only is the number of dating websites available increasing at an alarming rate, but so is the range available. There are specialised dating sites specifically designed for particular groups who may face difficulties in the dating world, and results from recent studies show that more successful and long-term relationships are formed online than anywhere else.

Why is online dating so popular?

Most people join an online dating site, such as cupid.com, to find love, and in their quest for finding love they meet a lot of new people and make some valuable friendships. Though they may not yet have achieved their ultimate goal of finding love, they at least feel less lonely, with new friends that understand the hardship of single life.

Relationship Help Forum: Fidelity Issues

2013-09-16T12:00:00.003+01:00

The relationship help forum is a regular element here on the Relationship Blog. I take a letter from a woman with a real relationship crisis (sent to me on a relationship forum elsewhere) and edit all the identifiable details so she can't be identified. I know that highlighting these issues here will help this blog's readers who're facing the same situations in their lives, as I also include my answer to the original letter.

Today's real life relationship story reminds us of how important it is to stay true to ourselves and what we know is right. Sally's (not her real name) story illustrates how we can sometimes allow relationships to make us second-guess even our own conscience. You can see other relationship help forum stories at this page.

Ways To Cope With Long-Distance Relationships

2013-09-02T16:15:00.000+01:00

Can you think of great ways to cope with long-distance relationships? A long distance relationship isn’t an easy thing to maintain. It isn’t only difficult on the half that is left behind, it’s also hard on the partner who had to leave. In times of stress and doubt you may feel that you can’t continue with your relationship or that the time you have together isn’t worth the time that you spend apart – but there are ways to deal with these thoughts and feelings.

Relationship Help Forum: Cheating Boyfriend

2013-08-12T10:33:00.001+01:00

Welcome to another edition of our relationship help forum, where we share real relationship stories from real women (identifiable details are changed). You can see the more real stories here

Dear Anne,

I’m nearly 19 and have been with this boy for 3 years. Lots of people have been telling me that he’s been cheating on me and a lot of other negative things but I never seem to listen.

Lately he’s been acting really oddly. We speak a lot daily but suddenly he’s always hard to reach. He always says he’s with his friends but when I speak to them they always tell me he was never with them.

I’ve started to accuse him lately and am becoming really obsessive. My mom thinks that I should leave him, but I don’t know what to do. He always denies everything.

Relationship Help Forum: Dumped And Pregnant

2013-08-05T10:46:00.000+01:00

Another instalment of our regular relationship help forum stories. All of these are real relationship crises being faced by women out there. Of course, the names and identifiable details have all been changed to protect their privacy. You can find other true relationship stories like this one on our forum page. Here's Celia's (not her real name) story.

Hey, my name is Celia and I’m going through a really hard time trying to stop thinking about my ex.

He has hurt me so many times I can’t even count, but I’ve always tried to ignore it or believe his lies because he was my first love. We have been together since 10th grade and we’re both now 20 years old.

I’ve now had to give up on him because he’s meet someone new. Regardless of all the tears I’ve cried and all the nights I spent pacing back and forth to try to understand, I just can’t get through to him.

I’m hurting so badly and right now I’m pregnant. I’m due in a couple of months and this is just really taking a lot out of me. I don’t want to be alone and I sure don’t want to be without him. But all I can do is try to move on, because love shouldn’t hurt.

Relationship Help Forum: Dumped By Text Message

2013-07-15T10:02:00.003+01:00

Another instalment to our regular relationship help forum true stories. Remember that all identifiable details have been edited out and names have been changed. You can find other real life stories on this page: Relationship help forum.

Dear Anne,

I fell in love with this man – he’s 36. I am 46. There were “things” from the start that alarmed me about our relationship and we talked about them. He assured me that he was ready for a relationship, even when I questioned this.

We started out as a long distance relationship as he was in the military. After much talking and planning I ended up taking a temp position in a town 2 hours from where he was, at his insistence. Things were great for a while then he started becoming more and more distant.

Relationship Help Forum: Honesty The Best Policy

2013-07-01T16:10:00.002+01:00

Here's another instalment of our Relationship Help Forum articles. Today we talk about honesty in relationships and if it's better to state your point of view before the relationship gets too deeply involved. Tammie (not her real name) did so in this true story and wasn't sure it was the right thing to do at the time. Here's her story. You can find the Relationship Help Forum page here, where you'll read other real life stories.

Dear Anne,
I’ve been hanging out with this guy as friends for the past month and a half. He’s always really nice to me and really flirty. Always telling me I’m pretty etc., and is also respectful and mature. I did tell him that I just wanted to be friends from the beginning since at the time I had just broken up with someone. We usually hang out at this party every other weekend since his cousin is the DJ there. We spend most of the night together dancing with the exception of the few times I talked to other guys and got their numbers. I was open about it and he got jealous when I talked to anyone else.

Relationship Help Forum: Bad Relationship

2013-06-04T19:02:00.000+01:00

Here's another instalment of our relationship help forum articles. These are true relationship crises faced by real women. We change any recognisable detail and share the story (and the possible solution) with you so that you can be helped if you're in the same situation. You can find more real life relationship crises stories on our Relationship Help Forum page.

Here's today's story.

Dear Anne

My boyfriend broke up with me earlier this week after 9 months together. I’m finding it really difficult to cope. I keep wanting to call or text him in case he changes his mind. It doesn’t help that we have split up quite a few times in the past and after I have cried and asked for us to try and work things out, we have always got back together pretty quickly.

Relationship Help Forum: Rushing Into Things

2013-05-06T18:23:00.000+01:00

This week our Relationship Help Forum story comes from *Alice (not her real name). Her true relationship crises deals with a situation a lot of people can relate to. She mistook a casual, rebound relationship for the real deal and paid for it with a lot of heartache and worry. I have a feeling this relationship was rushed into without much consideration, but my heart goes out to *Alice (all identifiable details have been removed).

You can read more true relationship crises stories on the Relationship Help Forum page.

Relationship help forum: rushing into things

Relationship Help Forum: Mature Love?

2013-04-15T18:43:00.000+01:00

Today's Relationship Help forum situation shows that sometimes even mature men and women can experience the same relationship crisis younger people can face. This real-life story is about *Lily (not her real name), a woman in her 50s, who's had a terrible time recently with her love life.

All identifiable details have been changed in these real life relationship crisis stories. You can see the rest of them at this page: Relationship Help Forum.

Relationship help forum: mature love?

Here's *Lily's story:
Do men ever hurt? I’m just out of a 9 year relationship that was tainted from the beginning. My doctor put me on Paxil to get through my divorce, then kept me on it to deal with the kids. Little did I realize that I wasn’t dealing or coping with anything. In fact, I embarked in a 9 year relationship with monumental mistakes and repercussions.

Relationship Help Forum: Crush On A Married Man

2013-03-17T17:29:00.002+00:00

This month our real relationship crises advice comes to a woman who has a crush on a married man. She knows it's wrong, but can't seem to get herself out of the rut. Remember that these relationship help forum stories come from a forum I ran elsewhere and are real crises being faced by real women.

Of course, all identifiable details have been changed so all secrets can remain that way. Today we talk to *Dawn (not her real name) and help her see - by turning the tables - the error of her ways. Please see the other related stories on our dedicated Relationship Help Forum page.

Hi Anne,

I got quite a bit of a problem….
I think I am hooked on a friend, a married friend, who works with me. I like to call him and joke with him. But I think it’s getting to be a habit and I know that it's because I need to get his attention.

Relationship Help Forum: Love's Sudden Death

2013-02-18T10:21:00.001+00:00

This is another addition to our relationship help forum true stories. All personal and identifiable details have been edited. You can find some more true stories on the Relationship Help Forum page.

This time we feature *Bella (not her real name) and follow her story of how her true love came to a sudden end. Here's her (edited) letter.

Help, Anne!

I met a guy, Dave, in college. Before we met, I didn’t believe in love at first sight. But as soon as I saw him, I knew he was something special. No, it wasn’t a physical attraction, as he is not my ideal type, but it was something else. We started dating immediately and it wasn’t long before he said 'I Love You', and I was happy to repeat those words back. We had several happy months together and talked about getting married.

Why He's No Good For You

2013-01-28T09:54:00.004+00:00

You know the kind of guy. And you know why he's no good for you. Yet, you hang around and hope for the best. You kind of like him, but you’re unsure whether he sees you as just a friend or is secretly hoping to get love-busy with you. Here we'll show you why he's no good for you. You’re sort of at the point in life where you’ll settle for less than you would have ten years ago. But is he your compromise-prize guy, or do those neon warning signs buzzing at the back of your brain know something you’re not letting yourself see.

Relationship Help Forum: End Of Perfect Relationship

2013-01-21T10:34:00.000+00:00

This month's relationship help forum real life relationship crisis comes from Melanie (not her real name). It's describes her agony at having to end a perfect relationship. You can see our other stories from real women (edited to remove any identifiable facts) on the relationship help forum page.

Relationship Forum: Working With An Ex

2012-12-31T17:22:00.002+00:00

Relationship forum: working with an Ex is the latest instalment of our relationship forum post. You can go here our Relationship Help Forum page to see the other stories.

We explore real life relationship crisis stories and offer workable solutions to make life and relationships better. All identifiable details have been changed. Today's story features Cheryl * (not her real name) who has to work with her ex. Here's an edited version of what she said:

Relationship forum: working with an ex

Dear Anne, I would love to follow these steps. My relationship is a little different though. I have to work with my ex. I have to see him every day and hear him talk about all the fun things he is doing. While I go back and sit miserably alone at home. I find myself praying for the weekends to arrive quickly so I can have a couple of days of not having to hear or see him. But all I want to do is call him and hang out with him.

Relationship Help Forum: Thirties Break-Up

2012-10-15T16:33:00.000+01:00

Relationship Help Forum: Thirties Break-Up will be added to our regular relationship help forum page on this blog. Today's real-life story features thirty-plus *Kelly (not her real name) and her agony at her relationship falling apart. Somehow it seems - especially for women - twice as difficult to deal with relationship break-ups the older we get.

The thing is, if you're not happy, relationships can fall apart at any time of your life. There are so many decent online dating sites nowadays, that no matter what your age, it's possible to meet someone who will love you for you. Please see our relationship forum page to see what it's about and how we edit and handle these real-life relationship crises.

Relationship Help Forum: Break From Relationship

2012-09-09T02:30:00.000+01:00

It's time again for our regular relationship help forum post. We take a real-life relationship crises, change the name and identifiable details of the people involved and post it - and its solution - here. We do this so that others afflicted with the same problems in their relationships can see the advice given and perhaps use it in their own lives. The Relationship Help Blog is all about helping you get the best out of your relationships. Today we look at *Jayne's (not her real name) story about her boyfriend and his decision to take a break from their relationship.

See the rest of the relationship help forum posts on this page. These real stories, taken from a relationship forum run elsewhere, can help you too.

5 Detoxing Tips That Work

2012-08-24T15:49:00.003+01:00

5 detoxing tips that work will show you some quick, easy ways you can detox from the very comfort of your home. Summer is all but over. The cold weather, along with its sniffles, flus and colds will soon be upon us. It's time to get fit so your body can fight against the germs it's going to be exposed to shortly. Ready for a quick, detox lesson? Here are five accessible ways of helping your body cope with all the poisons and toxins it's exposed to. These are simple, easy-to-follow, and they work!

Relationship Help Forum: Test Of Time

2012-07-29T17:36:00.000+01:00

The relationship blog runs a regular relationship help forum where we take a real relationship crisis shared by a woman on a forum elsewhere. We edit all identifiable details, then publish the real story here, along with the advice I offered. Today we'll look at *Danielle's (not her real name) story of a young love struggling to stand up to the test of time. The normal response of most women is to hang onto dying love, trying to fan its flames again despite signs of it not working. Sometimes the best thing to do is to leave it alone and walk away. Here's why.

Top 10 Flexible Jobs For Mums and Dads

2012-07-06T14:11:00.000+01:00

Top 10 flexible jobs for mums and dads will show you how to change the way you work. In today's society, more and more mums and dads are doing superhuman tasks of simultaneously raising young kids and working outside the home. We all know what a tightrope this is, and how impossible it seems to create a workable balance between the two. This is why it was important for The Relationship Blog to come up with the best, most enjoyable, flexible jobs for mums and dads. Take your pick from below.

Top 10 flexible jobs for mums and dads

photo source

Relationship Forum: Keep Him Hanging On

2012-07-01T17:43:00.000+01:00

The relationship forum is a regular element on the Relationship Blog. It's based on a relationship forum connected to this site. These are real relationship issues faced by women like us.

I edit all identifiable details of the women who write to me, but I present their stories here because I know that many of you face the same issues in your own relationships. I also include my advice to them so that you too can be helped, not only by this advice, but by the strength of the women involved in these relationship crises. Today's story is about *Lily (not her real name), and the way in which she's dealt with the aftermaths of a relationship she chose to walk away from.

See the other relationship forum discussions here

If A Man Ruled The World

2012-06-15T07:14:00.000+01:00

A humorous look at what a man might do if he had power over how the world was run.

Women would all be supermodels, yet they would miraculously find the time to fly home every evening, make him a feast for dinner, put the washing in, and clean the house.

Women would be born with a bottle opener and a beer-size chill bag.

Belching and passing wind would be televised competitive sports.

You could break up with your girlfriend by text messaging.

Chatting up and good conversation would mean clicking a finger and saying “GeedeUp!”.

Wining and dining would become wining and, “Got any change for the pizza boy’s tip, baby?”

Sweat would be bottled as perfume.

Women would come equipped with directions and maps to everywhere so they’d shut up about stopping and asking for directions already.

Relationship Forum: Dating His Ex

2012-06-02T19:06:00.000+01:00

As readers and subscribers of the Relationship Blog know, the relationship help forum is a regular feature here. I put forward a real-life relationship problem faced by a woman who's written to me. I remove all identifiable details, edit the request, and repost it here along with my answer to her.

Most of the relationship crises I've featured so far are slightly longer and more detailed than today's post. Nevertheless, today's relationship problem is one faced by so many women out there, I wanted to share it with you. *Judy (not her real name) below was fine with the relationship break-down. She was going through the process of recovery until she found out there was a possibility her ex boyfriend may go back to his ex. This is her story below.

Read the other real-life relationship situations at the relationship help forum page

Relationship help forum: dating his ex

Age Advantage In Dating

2012-05-27T15:56:00.000+01:00

The age advantage in dating may come as a surprise to younger people reading this. This is especially useful because Internet dating is becoming more and more popular - even with people in their 60s. You may think that online dating is something only suited for people in their 20s and early 30s, and as you scan through the pages of people on such sites, you may have a point. However, there’s no reason why the more mature single person in their 40s and beyond can’t enjoy the thrills that come with meeting new people over the internet. After all, the fact that mature dating exists proves that there’s no age limit on love.

Age advantage in dating

How To Stay Safe

2012-05-21T12:10:00.000+01:00

Many women these days work late and/or live on their own. It's important to pay attention to key points on how to stay safe in and out of the home. Once something is done, there's no undoing, so time spent preventing something nasty happening to you is time well spent. This is why I've put together the safety tips below. Please send them to someone you think could benefit from them.

Of course, an attitude of constant fear is counter productive, so a wise balance of awareness and trust has to be kept at all times. Below are some of the ways you can ensure your own safety and be aware of the dangers around you.

Vital tips to help you stay safe

Stay safe in the car

At night, keep your car keys in your hands to prevent hanging around to search for them in the bottom of your bag or pockets.
Fight back and run away if someone tries to attack you. Many abductors won't bother running after you. Your likelihood of escape is quite high in random attacks.
Park in well-lit areas. If you arrive in daylight and know that you're going to leave when it's dark, park next to an office block with lights and a guard, or under a lamppost when possible. Don't be afraid to ask someone you trust to accompany you to your car if necessary.
Keep an eye out for cars parked next to yours before you open your door. If there are people inside the car next to yours, treat this as suspicious.
Reverse in your parking space if you know you'll leave when it's dark.
Needless to say, don't pick up strangers in the street at night.