Let's Talk Commitment (Page 6)

Reader Question: I recently started seeing a guy whom I have been friends with for nearly two years prior. I recently got out of a long-term friends with benefits situation, which the guy I am seeing now knows of. My issue is my new guy and I will do things like normal dating people, but we always end up sleeping together nine out of 10 times. I understand sex is part of dating, but part of me feels like I am...

Reader Question: I have been dating someone for about eight months now. We are in love and have told each other I love you. Valentine's day is coming up and I want to get her a ring. It's not an engagement ring but just something that says I love you and I plan on being here. Is it to soon, or do you think it will be too much? -Craig (North Carolina) Gina Stewart's Answer: Rings are definitely a romantic...

As with pretty much everything in our society, new trends appear in almost every industry. We see it in the way people communicate, their weddings and their ways of having fun. It’s no surprise either that marriage proposals see trends year after year. Below are trends that are expected to be seen this year in marriage proposals. 1. Videography more commonplace As a proposal planner, I always tell clients they...

I have had men ask me before about getting into “the lifestyle,” which to me denotes ethical non-monogamy. The lifestyle is often the phrase used by swingers to talk about the swinging lifestyle, but I’ll expand the use of it here. How can they get into it without seeming like an uncaring dude? How do they broach the subject with a current partner? How do they find like-minded people? 1. Know yourself. Get to know...

Reader Question: My fiance has a male friend who keeps popping up out of the blue every couple months just to make trouble it seems. I trust her, but she can't seem to see the things he does. For instance, New Year's Eve, he asked her if she wanted to come over to his house for a party. He knows we recently got engaged but failed to ask me. She did not think that was weird and she always gives him the benefit of...

These are hard times for love. Dating seems to have become a stand-alone activity instead of a courtship ritual designed to carefully select a partner for long-term compatibility. If you are one of the serious daters out there and are looking for more than a sexual high and a short-term fling, there are three proven ways to ensure your dinner and a movie is also an interview for the job of best friend and lover. 1....

Introducing children to a new partner poses lots of risks and consequences for single mothers. Mr. Right may seem perfect in your eyes, but kids sometimes tend to view a new lover in less endearing terms. Children may fear their father is being replaced, family dynamics will change or they will lose the quality time they have with their mother. That’s why it’s so important to be strategic and thoughtful when...

Reader Question: I'm poly and have a boyfriend in another state. I have started dating another guy up here (they know about each other) and it's starting to get more serious, only now he's pushing for me to be monogamous with him. I still love my boyfriend but am unlikely to move to where he is. I care about this guy, but I worry he's putting unrealistic expectations on me. What should I do? -Julie...

How do you know if the guy you’re dating is the right one for you? How can you tell if you’re REALLY with Mr. Right? We live in a society where we are raised believing we deserve and should have the best of everything. In the relationship world of plentiful, I’ve often heard men say they are on a quest for the best-looking guy, the biggest penis, the wealthiest man, etc. So when you eventually meet someone you feel...

It’s that time of year again when we’re inundated with Zales diamond commercials and ideas for other ridiculous gifts. Who gives someone a Lexus with a bow on it or a Mercedes “December to remember” gift? The gift ideas the media feeds us are getting even more extravagant as the years go by. They want you to spend as much money as you can. They want us to believe if you don’t spend a lot on your partner, you don’t...

Reader Question: I signed up for an adult dating site. It was more of a joke, but I ended up meeting a guy who was too good looking to pass up. I've been sleeping with the guy in a "with benefits" sort of way for about six months. Now we actually watch movies together, go out and spend a lot of time laughing and having fun. I am starting to feel a little more for him than just an F-buddy type thing, but would it...

One of the best things about the big day has always been planning ahead for it. Where do you propose? What types of flowers should you have? Who should you invite? Our 10 Best Engagement Blogs are all about the joys of prenuptials, from finding the perfect way to propose, to keeping the fire going long after the honeymoon. The Heart...

The beginning of a great relationship is often characterized as fun, interesting and exciting. The initial spark and romance brings excitement about long-term potential as you enjoy in new experiences together and learn about each other. As some of the newness wears off and you get into a groove as partners, it is only natural that your relationship will change and grow. All relationships go through stages, phases...

Reader Question: I have been seeing a man casually for a year. He never makes any mention of any kind of commitment and watches what he says very carefully. He claims he is ADHD and feels more comfortable in his own house, so I always have to go to his his if we see each other. He always initiates sex. I have called him on this and he says it's not about the sex. Am I getting totally used? -Terry (New...

Reader Question: I need advice on how to slow a guy down. We have only been on three dates and have known each other for less than a month. He's suddenly planning our whole future. He's calling himself my niece's new uncle. He's planning a trip for us to go on more than a year away. He wants me to meet his family. I feel like the next time I see him he's going to drop the L-word on me. How to I get him to slow...

Engaged couples spend months and even years planning a beautiful fairytale wedding. Prompted by a well-oiled wedding industry, generations of brides (and even some grooms) have become mesmerized by one enchanted event and sometimes lose site of the most vital wedding plan needed — the marriage plan. Here are a few tips for those about to walk down the aisle and hear wedding bells chime. Ultimately, these tips will...

How does marriage fit with an open relationship? What about having kids? Do I want those things? Legal marriage is, to me, just that: a legal document dictating a financial agreement with a partner. Therefore, getting legally married is a financial arrangement and agreement and can overlap with any relationship structure, given it is between two people (and in many states still, two straight people). Legal...

It’s hard to imagine, but centuries ago there was no such thing as romantic love, at least not in marriage. Most marital unions were either arranged or based on a logical, rational decision to blend lives because it made sense for economic or political reasons. Back then, romantic love lived in art, music, poetry and in the tortured hearts of men and women who were married to someone else. Around the time of the...

So you met a guy and you are feeling pretty into him. You have spent time together and felt the sparks fly. Now you need a crash course in deciphering dead languages because he just told you he is not ready for a serious relationship. Does this sound familiar? Well, sister, I have been there, and I am going to tell you what it really means when a guy says, "I am not ready for a serious relationship." Most...

I have written many articles about my positive experiences and perspectives on having an open relationship. What about when you hit a rough patch? How do you decide whether to work through it or break up? J. and I have had two major rough patches. After the first few months of being open, it became important to J. to be able to date on his own. Up until that point, we had been swinging together exclusively. I had...

If you are like most unmarried women, the excitement and readiness for your wedding day is getting stronger by the minute... and your Pinterest wedding board is not helping. It seems like everyone is getting hitched. As my 90-year-old grandma so graciously reminded me, “You are not getting any younger, sweetie." Before you give your boyfriend the hint that you are getting impatient, ask yourself: What is it about...

Reader Question: I have been with my boyfriend for four years now. I love him, but I wonder what it would be like to be single. Is that normal? -Hailee (Michigan) Gina Stewart's Answer: This is very normal. People in happy, committed relationships wonder what it would be like to be single. Just like single people wonder what it would be like to be married and little kids wonder what it would be like to be a...

Reader Question: I've been seeing this guy now for five months that I met online through POF. We spend a lot of time together, but he is still active on several online dating sites. He also refers to me as his "golf buddy." He's told me he has feelings for me but is afraid to commit. Am I wasting my time? Should I take that as a sign "he's just not that into me"? -Ashley (Nebraska) Gina Stewart's...

Reader Question: I met this girl on ChristianMingle. Two months into talking on the phone, I hid my profile and asked to fly to see her. We had a great time. After I got back, I bought a ticket for a month later to see her. A week before the trip, she got a big promotion, so I asked if I could send flowers. She said she was angry for me wanting to send flowers, seeing them as “territorial.” I asked if she saw...

Let’s say you’ve been dating this great guy for a while and then things start to go south. Maybe you’ve been arguing a bit more. Or perhaps you feel a bit more distant and disconnected from each other lately. Or maybe the sex isn’t as good as it once was. One of the most excruciating dating dilemmas is having to make that difficult decision of whether to salvage a relationship or terminate it. These situations are...

I was reading today about Justin Theroux and Jennifer Anniston's relationship being the most high-profile relationship in the world. And I was thinking it’s also one of the most challenging. How many times have you thought about living with a woman? How many times have you actually moved in with her, and then you had to give up one of your most valued possessions? She asked you to throw away something you love but...

So your girlfriend wants an open relationship and you're not sure if you can do it. Do you want help with this situation? This kind of question shows up more and more often, as the Internet has opened us up to additional perspectives on relationships and sex. An open relationship is most often defined as a relationship where both partners are committed but not monogamous. That is different from a polyamorous...

When people ask me if marriage changes a relationship, I always respond with, “Well, I hope so! You can stop dating and start living your love.” What is love anyway but an action word? And that action is a simple one — it is the act of giving. Love, simply put, means to give. Married couples give each other the gift of care. They exchange care. There is no longer any need to impress each other with gifts of...

I see you! You are head over hills and full of nervous energy wondering, “When is the right time to say ‘I love you?'" The truth is there is no magic formula or algorithm, but there are some things you may want to consider before you say that very powerful phrase. 1. Lust is not love. Your knees get weak when you see her and your hormones rage when you touch, but remember that just because someone turns you on, it...

Every week, more and more guys tell me they’re having success at sleeping with women but are finding it way too hard to start a relationship. I want to look at how to actually turn a one-night stand, or basically any girl you had sex with, into a girlfriend. Some people might argue that one-night stands are bad for girlfriends. While some girls are indeed way too easy and are not worth the effort, I like to...