From time to time, we all need to work a little harder with our partners at making our relationships the best they can be. This Cheat Sheet covers some of the key issues you’ll meet along the way. Keep it handy.Using listening techniques to improve your relationshipImproving communication is a key part of improving your relationship.

Your relationship with that special someone plays a large role in your life. First, you have to find The One and then take the time to develop the skills to build the relationship and keep it going. And because no relationship is without some conflict, you need to know how to resolve the disagreements that crop up so you can actually grow closer as you work things out.

An anonymous writer put it this way: "Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you. Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by." ©Seventyfour / Adobe StockWriter Elisabeth Foley points out that friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief, and that the most beautiful discovery that true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

If you're looking for love, you know it can be hard to meet someone you want to have a relationship with — especially given the constraints of modern life. Use the tips in the following list to determine the best way to meet that special someone given your circumstances: If you have more time than money: Try running a personal ad — offline or online at any of the numerous dating sites.

Personal matchmaking services vary enormously, depending on their population; the credentials, training, skill, professionalism, and ethics of the matchmaker; whether the company is a nationwide franchise or a more personalized boutique service; whether the matchmaker meets you or not; and whether the service is a real business or a hobby the owner is doing to meet a special someone.

Communication builds emotional intimacy. You become close to your partner by sharing thoughts and feelings with one another that you don’t share with anyone else, and you do that sharing through verbal and nonverbal communication. Then to stay close, you must continue to share through healthy verbal and nonverbal communication.

Just as there are signs that you are ready to marry, there are also signs that you're not. A surprising number of people are able to look back on their marriages and say why they weren't ready to marry at that time, and how that lack of readiness contributed to their divorce. © Shutterstock Review your motivation for marriage before you wed to help you avoid making these mistakes.

Humans appeared on this earth without an owner's manual. Luckily, one of our advances has been in figuring out what causes happiness — and what doesn't. For example, everyone wants to be happy. But have you ever noticed how some people have few material possessions, yet seem very happy, while others have an abundance of material wealth, yet seem very unhappy?

After the initial passion and excitement of lust has faded, sex can start to feel routine and predictable for some couples, particularly if you’re both leading busy or stressful lives. There are lots of ways to liven up your sex life and put passion back into a relationship. Maintain a sexual connection with your partner If you’re working all day or busy raising a family, you may find that you stop seeing your partner as a lover.