YourTango Experts teach us how to achieve a balanced relationship that serves others and ourselves.
We all give every day—to our partners, friends, family, neighbors, jobs and community. While it's healthy and vital to help the ones we love, many of us struggle to balance these needs with our own. This can lead to trouble: either we become too self-absorbed, or we find it hard to say "No" to others in order to have a little "me" time. As part of our Love Starts Within spotlight, we asked some of our Experts to share their advice on how to grapple with these demands from multiple angles:
Intimacy or oversharing? Striking a balance between your family and your relationship.
As the headlines are filled with news of Joe Simpson allegedly calling out John Mayer for his "sexual napalm" comments regarding daughter Jessica while Angelina Jolie is photographed reunited with her long-estranged dad Jon Voight, we've been pondering family bonds and boundaries. When it comes to talking sex with family, how close is too close? What should you share with your family and what should remain between you and your partner?
Living with a disease is tough; opening up to your new love interest about it doesn't have to be.
Dating someone new means learning about each other's quirky behaviors, emotional baggage, and the past experiences that have shaped both of your lives. But what if this involves a health or medical secret you're hesitant to talk about?
Dying to know your lover's secrets? Then spark up this conversation.
It's definitely not the type of light and airy chat you want to strike up on your first starry-eyed date. Let's be honest: Dredging up the past and owning all things that went right and wrong can be about as pleasant as having a root canal. But precisely because spilling the beans requires such a high level of comfort and trust, a Q&A session (topic: all things past) with your guy can bring the two of you closer in your relationship.
Sexperts recommend sex toys to heat up couples' bedroom behavior.
Bringing a third party to bed can be daunting, but vibrators, whips, bonding tape and dildos aren't called sex toys for nothing! They're meant to make partnered play time even more fun. Here, we've collected six expert-recommended options sure to spice up the sex lives of couples. Whether experimenting for the first time or shopping for a new stand-by, these couple-friendly sex toys will drive you and your partner wild.
"I watched in horror as Fred ripped open the box and began an afternoon jam session with Guitar Hero... I have to say that it's kind of hot to watch him play that plastic guitar."
