A new relationship has many emotional and psychological aspects that in some ways can be compared to the birth of a new baby. For example, before a baby is born it is usually safe inside the mother’s womb and it depends only on the immediate environment for everything it needs. In a similar way, just before you meet each other, you and your new partner will probably be safe and secure, relying mostly on yourselves and your immediate environments to supply your needs.
If you have relapsed back into an old self-defeating behavior, there are two things you need to remember. First, whatever you accomplished in terms of lifestyle changes before you relapsed are still an important part of your future success. Second, your relapse is also a part of your success. You do not have to start all over again. You have already made gains which are still valuable but you do need to make changes in order to continue succeeding.
Couples fight. This is universal. Tempers can flare anywhere and at anytime. Having ‘fair fighting’ guidelines in place beforehand helps reduce emotional pain caused by what’s said or done during a fight. Couples can develop guidelines by themselves or with a therapist’s guidance during couples counseling. The following ideas can help:
