Marriage Rules

Following a unique format perfect for today's world, the renowned author of The Dance of Anger gives us just over 100 rules that cover all the hot spots in long-term relationships. Marriage Rules offers new solutions to age-old problems ("He won't talk"/"She doesn't want sex") as well as modern ones (your partner's relationship to technology.) You'll also learn how to: Calm things down and warm them up Talk straight and fight fair Listen well as a spiritual practice Connect with a distant partner Survive the unique challenges of children, stepchildren and difficult- laws Follow a 12-step program to overcome defensiveness Know how and when to draw the line Take back your marriage when things fall apart Marriage Rules is a treasure chest of lively, practical advice to help you navigate your couple relationship with clarity, courage, and joyous conviction. If one person in a couple follows ten rules of his or her choice, it will generate a major, positive change. All that's required is a genuine wish for a better relationship and a willingness to practice.

In his extraordinary new book, Terrence Real, distinguished therapist and bestselling author, presents a long overdue message that women need to hear: You aren’t crazy–you’re right! Women have changed in the last twenty-five years–they have become powerful, independent, self-confident, and happy. Yet many men remain irresponsible and emotionally detached. They don’t know how to respond to frustrated partners who just want their mates to show up and grow up. Enter the good news: In this revolutionary book, Real shows women how to master the new rules of twenty-first-century marriage by offering them a set of effective tools with which they can create the truly intimate relationship that they desire and deserve. He identifies five non-starters to avoid and shares practical strategies for bringing honesty, passion, and joy back to even the most difficult relationship. Using his experience helping thousands of couples shift from despair to profound emotional closeness, Real guides you through the process of relationship repair with exercises that you can do alone or with your partner. With this program you’ll discover how to - identify and articulate your wants and needs - listen well and respond generously - set limits, and stand up for yourself - embrace and appreciate what you have - know when to seek outside help The New Rules of Marriage will introduce you to a radically new kind of relationship, one based on the idea that every woman has the power to transform her marriage, while men, given the right support, have it in them to rise to the occasion. We have never wanted so much from our relationships as we do today. More than any other generation, we yearn for our mates to be lifelong friends and lovers. The New Rules of Marriage shows us how to fulfill this courageous and uncompromising new vision.

You did the Rules-And They Worked! You captured the heart of your Mr. Right and are, at the very least, engaged. Maybe you're married ... or perhaps you and your partner got together without the help of The Rules. Now You're Looking for Ways to Keep Your Relationship Happy and Healthy. The Rules For Marriage is Here! In this new book, the authors of The Rules offer forty-two time-tested tips for keeping your marriage healthy and happy. Some will sound familiar, others are completely new. But they all lead to the same wonderful future-the one in which you and your husband stay together forever! Discover: * Rule #4: Keep up your own interests (have a life!) * Rule #15: Say what you mean, but don't say it mean * Rule #21: Don't force him to "talk" * Rule #35: Don't find fault with things you knew about when you married him So whatever your marital problems, The Rules for Marriage can help.

“Solid advice for newlyweds, golden anniversary celebrants and everybody in-between” from the Marriage Boot Camp and former Divorce Court star (The Augusta Chronicle). As the judge starring on two hit television shows, Lynn Toler has witnessed, en masse, the thematic mistakes made in American marriages. She herself has also been wed for more than 30 years and has seen both the highs and lows of matrimony in her own marriage as well as the marriages of those close to her. Drawing from both her professional career and personal life, Toler sees that the biggest impediment to marriage these days is that couples decide to take the plunge based almost entirely on the most irrational criteria: falling in love. Making Marriage Work doesn’t suggest that love has nothing to do with marriage at all; rather, Toler says that love by itself is simply not enough to make marriages survive. Marriage, Toler says, is a job, and it needs to be treated like one. This updated manual suggests specific procedures that should be put in place to bridge the gap between head over heels and happily ever after. It explains how to phrase things in order to span the great hormonal divide men and women often fall into when trying to talk to one another. It also discusses the very new and real challenges to marriage created in a culture often overwhelmed by the emphasis on (and ability to attain) instant gratification. Replete with simple, no-nonsense rules, Divorce Court anecdotes, and stories about Judge Toler’s own union, Making Marriage Work contains invaluable information couples can use today to secure their marital tomorrow.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Over a million copies sold! “An eminently practical guide to an emotionally intelligent—and long-lasting—marriage.”—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work has revolutionized the way we understand, repair, and strengthen marriages. John Gottman’s unprecedented study of couples over a period of years has allowed him to observe the habits that can make—and break—a marriage. Here is the culmination of that work: the seven principles that guide couples on a path toward a harmonious and long-lasting relationship. Straightforward yet profound, these principles teach partners new approaches for resolving conflicts, creating new common ground, and achieving greater levels of intimacy. Gottman offers strategies and resources to help couples collaborate more effectively to resolve any problem, whether dealing with issues related to sex, money, religion, work, family, or anything else. Packed with new exercises and the latest research out of the esteemed Gottman Institute, this revised edition of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is the definitive guide for anyone who wants their relationship to attain its highest potential.

Mark:I've done the picket fence thing. And I'm about as interesting as any other accountant. Which is fine. I mean, I've got my daughter to think about. Stability and all that. But now that I'm finally out of the closet and single... I want some spice. Something or someone who's just for me. One-night stands aren't really my thing--not when I have Emma to think about.But when a night with friends throws me in the path of a gorgeous but determined flirt and eternal bachelor, I have to make a hard decision. I feel instantly drawn to him with feelings more primal and genuine than I've ever felt before. This guy isn't looking for permanent, though, and even the idea of kids makes him look ready to bolt. Too bad I can't seem to keep my hands off the man.Justin:I have three rules for dating: no co-workers, no repeats, and absolutely no kids involved. And, quite frankly, I've never even felt tempted to break them. Until Mark. The adorable, geeky accountant makes my pulse race despite my better judgment.But the guy is a father. And I know from past experience, that's a hard pass for me. So I vow to keep Mark safely in the friend zone... which turns into the friends with benefits zone... which very quickly decides to veer sharply into the zone I swore I'd never consider.The forever zone.

Best-selling author Dr. Steve Stephens offers concrete yet simple ways to build marriages today, even when life speeds by at a frantic pace. Along with a prayer to ask for God's help, each chapter offers ideas and tools that make following rules like "Accept Differences," "Listen Carefully," and "Compliment Daily" easy. Readers will be surprised at how applying these simple rules can make a good marriage even better . . . or keep a struggling marriage from falling apart.