What does it mean to be in a relationship? Go ahead and regurgitate the generic As Seen On TV answers of honesty, communication, spending X number of days together, X number of minutes on the phone, and then sprinkle in some bullshit about helping each other grow. You're not even close. Many of you are transitioning from casual dating to being in a serious relationship, while others are reaching the end of the morning texts & butterflies stage of the relationship. After the Honeymoon stage you will realize that what you think a committed relationship is isn’t exactly what you will get. Romance novels have lied to you. Julia Roberts movies have lied to you. Your Grandparents and their perfect marriage have even lied to you. Real, worth fighting for, relationships are never simple, and it will test the limits of your sanity before you finally reach the point where you can experience true love, not that bullshit from high school or college that you thought was the top of the mountain. Once you get there, it will feel better than advertised... but you have to be prepared for that climb and that's where I come in.
What are the rules for a relationship? Are you allowed to have friends of the opposite sex? How much time should you spend together a week to insure he/she doesn’t get sick of you? Who should apologize first after an argument? What’s the protocol when it comes to social networking once you’re boo’d up? Do you still demand to go on dates? Should you compromise or should they compromise? I get all of these questions as if humans can date like robots and follow a rulebook to keep from breaking up. There are no rules, but there is playbook. First we need to make sure that you’re ready to learn it. In sports, there are coaches that are considered geniuses because they come up with a method of playing the game that seems so simple, yet no one has ever thought of before. Bulls/Lakers Zen Master Phil Jackson is an example of this type of genius. The tricky thin...
