Great Relatinship Advice: The Ability to Meet Emotional Needs

Harville Hendrix, in his book ``Getting the Love You Want'' has some interesting and helpful notions about the process of falling in love. According to Hendrix, as we fall in love with someone, we believe that this person will be able to meet all of our emotional needs.

But eventually the infatuation wears off and the day-to-day grind sets in. Partners begin to think or even say things such as ``You are not the person I married,'' or ``You're just like your father/mother'' or whatever. Emotional connections start shutting down.

The trick to getting out of this stage of the relationship is to recommit to meeting your partner's emotional needs. Let's illustrate the point with a story.

One night, a man has a dream in which he goes on a tour of heaven and hell. It turns out that hell is this huge banquet room with tables full of food and drink. The people at the tables, however, are all thin and wasting away. It seems that the silverware in hell is about four feet long and can be picked up only at the very end. The people in hell are unable to feed themselves.

So then he visits heaven, which is also a huge banquet room with tables full of food and drink. The silverware is exactly the same as in hell, four feet long and can be picked up only at the very end. The people in heaven, however, are full, content and happy. The simple yet profound difference is that in heaven the people are reaching across the table and feeding each other.

This is the shift that needs to occur if partners are to meet each other's emotional needs.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

---

Relationship Tune Up - 7 Key Points to Avoid a Break Up or Break Down

"Every three months or 3,000 miles."That's how the sticker in... Read More

How to Get Over a Breakup

This is one of the most difficult parts of a... Read More

Find Your Love as Early as Possible

Life is made of innumerable dots. Dots, which are part... Read More

Pay Attention! Mastering Communication Skills with Women

One of the biggest complaints women have about men is... Read More

I Love You!

The famous three words we never hear enough of in... Read More

Importance Of Background In A Relationship

Should coming from the same background be a major issue... Read More

Is Your Negative Thinking Scaring Off Your Soul Mates?

Francine Bonnecelli* swore off relationships the day her husband of... Read More

Successful on the Outside, Lonely on the Inside: Our Hidden Epidemic

I say "Loneliness. Isolation. Invisibility."You ask "Eleanor Rigby?" I say... Read More

What Men Hate in Women

Without wasting much time, here are some of the personality... Read More

Add Trust To Your Relationship

Trust is something that is important to every single relationship... Read More

How To Save Your Marriage

Getting married (or beginning an intimate relationship) is, in a... Read More

You Dont Have to Break Down, When You Break Up!

Very few people would argue with the fact that creating... Read More

Are Women Really Superior to Men?

While doing my search for this idea, I came across... Read More

Breaking Your Relationship Pattern, Part 2

The first step toward being able to attract and create... Read More

Set Your Relationship Up for Success

A quarter of thirtysomething couples are unhappy in their relationships,... Read More

Authentic Relationships - 5-Question Exercise to Explore How You Show Up In Relationship

The focus of this article is to explore what it... Read More

Revenge ? Serve It Cold!

Whether you caught him in bed with the local bimbo,... Read More

Love - Entrepreneur Style

For many of us, love has become a distant ideal.... Read More

Interview with Tigress Luv: How To Get Over A Breakup

Recently I had the opportunity to interview my personal favorite... Read More

To Apologize or Not to Apologize...That is the Question

We don't like to say it and we don't always... Read More

Are You Looking for Ms. Right or Mr. Not so Wrong?

Do you want to find the "love of your life?"It's... Read More

How Do We Know When A Relationship Has A Future?

In many instances, we all are "gun shy" after a... Read More

Relationship Advice: After the Break Up - Creating an Exit Door in Your Heart

Q. It's been over a year since the guy I... Read More

Relationship Advice: Words Can Hurt or Heal

"Stick and stones, may break my bones, but words will... Read More

When Attracting Sexy Women, Remember... Time And Circumstance Change Everything

Many guys are just too intimidated and full of anxiety... Read More

Gay Breakups: When the Rainbow Ends

Introduction"It just hit me out of the blue when Mike... Read More

10 Clues of an Online Affair

1. Your spouse or partner spends excess time on-line. Who... Read More

Relationship Advice: Starter Marriages

A man walking through the woods near a river hears... Read More

I Said Yes, I Meant No, and Now I Want Out

Imagine this; you have the opportunity to go away for... Read More

3 Principals That Will Keep a Long Lasting Relationship

Many of us have had a broken heart and hurt... Read More

African Dating - Pride and Ambition

It is no secret that African culture is known for... Read More

Great Relationships: 4 Big Relationship Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Relationship Mistake No. 1 - Partner BashingBashing the one you... Read More

Relationship Conflict: 5 Deadly Mistakes and What to Do Instead

While conflict in marriage is inevitable, fighting is optional.The secret... Read More