What does a woman want? A man who can handle what comes his way, including her, without losing himself. … More

Even in Florida, fall has arrived. And just as predictably, each season in your relationship takes a turn.

Why not transition through the seasons with your eyes wide open and profit from each one? Sure, you can have a favorite, but you may as well find meaning and reason to celebrate in every day of the year.

Remember when you first met your partner, and you couldn’t get enough of each other? It was as though your fairy godmother had finally shown up. At last, somebody recognized you in all of your glory and appreciated everything about you. Even your idiosyncrasies were endearing. That’s the elation of the “expansion and promise stage.”

You open up to somebody who listens intently and affirms you. You bring out the best in each other and bask in the enchantment. You both hope that the relationship will blossom, instead of falling apart. You’re trying to apply what you’ve learned in order to be better partners; and that makes you a little vulnerable and a lot attractive.

In this stage, a partner who tends to shy away from too much intimacy and connectedness is more comfortable getting close and lingering. And a partner who tends to shy away from autonomy doesn’t have much to shy away from (they’re always together — kissing or giggling).… More

You’ve probably heard the joke: Women always want to know what men are thinking. But the men aren’t thinking! It’s funny, but that doesn’t make it true.

My baby says that men just aren’t thinking about women all the time. They’re not obsessing about the relationship. Not quite as funny, but more true!

Not all men are the same. Not all women are the same. And we’re not the same from cradle to grave.

Still, there’s a takeaway: Man or woman, it’s not always about you. And you’ll be happier without the stress of judging your partner and personalizing his/her behavior. … More