So much of our attitude about life and our \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t capacity to meet life’s challenges depends on the quality of the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t relationships we have, especially our most intimate relationships.<\/p>\n
When they go sour, life tends to feel \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t bleak. Because the quality of our relationships has a powerful effect on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t physical and mental balance, as well as our sense of satisfaction in life, it’s \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t important that we keep our relationships rewarding and fresh. The data on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t divorce provides compelling evidence that we are not succeeding at all. Nearly \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t half of all marriages end in divorce — cohabitation couplings are far likelier \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t to end badly — and of the marriages that endure, many are less than happy.<\/p>\n
Most people know the value of a good \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t relationship and no matter how often they have lost at love, they keep on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t hoping. As a result, advice on how to make relationships work fills shelves and \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t shelves of bookstores and hours of talk-show time. Some of it is even good, the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t product of careful research on happy and unhappy couples.<\/p>\n