4 Ways to LOVE Better Than Ever

By Steve Wickham

Love runs the entire world, and if we think that's rubbish we just need to think about how we respond to many variations of acceptance and rejection that come our way. We all desire to be loved, but rarely is it natural for us to want to love.
If we are serious about love, about getting love right, and protecting ourselves by loving in advance of others' love, we will want to get real about it; really real.
Let's think of love as an acrostic. We can arrange L.O.V.E.:

Listen when other people are speaking.
Overlook pettiness, common faults, and forgive failures.
Value other people for who they are.
Express love in practical ways.
Let's explore those in greater detail:

1. LISTEN
We all like to be listened to, so it's ironic that we prefer to speak rather than listen. Good listeners are so scarce. But if we are prepared to listen with an open mind and heart we find the simplest way to love someone by our communication. Most people are pleasantly surprised that we are interested in them enough to listen.

2. OVERLOOK
There are so many petty things that prove as stumbling blocks before us. We are frustrated by the most innocuous things. But when we have perspective - more of the God viewpoint - we find it easier to overlook common lapses and to forgive innocent mistakes.
We must ask ourselves, "How important is this issue, really?"

3. VALUE
Valuing all others for who they are, despite the temptations to judge or limit our expression of love somehow, is very simple, but we don't do it that well ordinarily. Particularly in our family members' lives, we are placed there to love them beyond our prejudices. They are their own people, responsible for their own choices, and we should respect them for that.
Valuing others for who they are is perhaps the greatest gift of love, where no fear breaches the relationship. When we value others for who they are, more freedom is enjoyed by all (except those driven by an anger-laden inner fear).

4. EXPRESS
What is love if it cannot be expressed in practical terms? Others are blessed in our creativity to innovate around love. We use our imaginations, finding ways of doing, saying, or giving nice things to those we are in contact with, or simply by spending time with them.
***

Loving people is made simpler when we 1) listen intently to them, 2) overlook minor problems with a forgiving attitude, 3) value people for who they are, and 4) express our love in creatively innovative ways.
� 2013 S. J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner and holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/

3 Things You Should Never Tell Your Girlfriend

By Manisha Singh Sharma

The journey of love has always been full of ups and downs. Even your love horoscope never predicts a smooth sailing all along. Sometimes you get to sail through a smooth road and sometimes you hit a rough patch. Steering your car through that rough patch is a very tricky affair, and if you do not stay alert and take precautions, then it might prove fatal for the future of your relationship with your girlfriend.

And one of the best ways to steer your car of love to safety is by maintaining some anonymity within your relationship. You should never divulge everything out to your girlfriend just because you are looking for a serious relationship with her. While you might look at it as a sign of your honesty towards her, but it is not necessary that your girlfriend will also take it in the same sense.

So, then, how do you let your girlfriend enter into your inner world without making your relationship fall apart? Simple, tell her only what is required!
We give you access to three things you should never tell your girlfriend if you intend to have a longer relationship with her.

The Number of Times You Got Laid!
While you might love bragging about your sexual escapades to your friends, avoid doing the same to your girlfriend. Your girlfriend is not like your guy friends who will laugh it off with you or compliment you on your 'conquests'. In fact, it might rub her the wrong way, and if by any chance that has to happen, then you will be in a soup for sure. You can very well go ahead and tell her that you are not a virgin. However, make sure that you do it in such a way that she doesn't think you sleep with any girl that comes your way.

Talk About Your Ex-Girlfriend(s)
Discussing or talking about your ex-girlfriends or past affairs may not be a big deal for you, but it is for a girl. And trust us, your girlfriend is no different. While she might be the coolest girl you have ever met in your life, yet she would never be able to accept your ex-girlfriends as casually as you do. Worse still, she might just start comparing herself with your ex-girlfriends and start taunting you with the same every now and then.

The Salary You Draw in a Year
Some things in life need to remain personal to the extent that nobody but only you has access to it. Your annual salary is one of them. While you may be drawing a highly enviable figure over the course of a year, but using it as a medium to score a girl is a strict no-no. And if your girl is constantly trying to get into the details of your bank balance, then you better get alert as you might hooked yourself up with a potential gold digger.

As per astrology, the two of you might form the perfect couple. You ruling numbers may also have superb compatibility. Still, you should never lay bare your life like an open book to your girlfriend if you wish to spend your entire life with her. http://www.astroyogi.com/numerology/

Elemental Relationships - Astrology's Role in Love

By Hannah E Fairfield
Love has never been simple, but understanding how the elements of astrological signs interact with one another can give you a leg up in understand potential partners. Do you ever wonder whether it's dangerous for you to date a Gemini? Or if you're compatible with a Taurus? Is it worth it to pursue a relationship with a sign that is typically incompatible with yours? Astrology can help you as a guideline to choosing a partner and learning how to communicate with them.

Astrological Elements
The first step in recognizing and analyzing the relationships between the various elements in the zodiac is knowing what they are and which signs fall under each. Aquarius, Gemini and Libra fall under the element of air. Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio fall under the water element. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are fire signs while Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are signs of the element of earth. Understand which elements govern you and your potential partner's zodiac signs will aid you in discovering your compatibility.

Relationships With Opposing Elements
Water and fire, air and earth. These elemental pairings are considered polar opposites within the zodiac. Relationships between people who have opposite elemental signs are quite common. With water/fire relationships, there is often a strong magnetism between the couple. Their pairing can actually be quite fruitful, but arguments will be heated and intense. Air/earth pairings are similar, but won't be quite as dramatic as water/fire pairings. Because of this, the intensity is also downplayed, which can be beneficial to a more laid back couple.

Relationships With Related Elements
It may be true that opposites attract, but that doesn't mean that elemental pairings that are similar can't prove successful. Air and fire can become a thriving partnership due to the air sign's lightheartedness regulated by their intellect will compliment a fire sign's energetic nature and intensity. For the pairing of earth and water elements, both signs will nurture one another and provide a strong, supportive base for their partner. Relationships that feature two signs of the same element can also be successful because of the similarities between partners, but may cause conflict if either party is too headstrong.

The elements in the zodiac all interact with one another in different ways, but there is no particular combination that cannot prove to be a successful relationship. Taking care to know your partner and their personality will help any relationship thrive, regardless of where your signs fall on the zodiac.

To find out more about how to get male attention, click Signs He Wants You. You'll learn all the secrets to make a man Fall in Love with you.
Hannah Fairfield is a dating and relationship expert. Her passion is to write informative articles for women who want to improve their love lives. Visit her site for more information.