4 Everyday Posture Habits That Could Be Hurting Your Back - and How to Fix Them

November 22, 2024

Everyday posture habits have a significant effect on our health, often more than we realize. From sitting to standing, the way we hold ourselves can impact everything from muscle tension to nerve health, particularly in the lower back, neck, and shoulders. Fortunately, even small adjustments can make a big difference in relieving discomfort and preventing strain.



Forward Head Position 

A common posture mistake is the “forward head” position, where the head leans in front of the shoulders, typically from looking down at screens. This position places excess strain on the neck and upper spine, which can lead to discomfort and even nerve issues over time. Keeping your head aligned directly above your shoulders helps reduce tension and supports healthy neck posture.

Crossing Your Legs

Crossing your legs while sitting might feel comfortable, but it can create imbalances in the hips and add pressure to the lower back. This habit, when repeated over time, can contribute to lower back pain or nerve irritation. To alleviate the strain and keep your spine aligned, try sitting with both feet flat on the floor. Simple adjustments like this can go a long way toward reducing discomfort and preventing long-term issues.

Hunching Over Devices

Spending long periods hunched over smartphones, laptops, or tablets puts a lot of strain on the neck, shoulders, and lower back. This posture adds pressure on the spine, which can lead to back pain and even nerve issues. To ease this tension, consider adding lower back nerve exercises to strengthen your core and improve alignment. As you work on posture, watch for signs of pinched nerve recovery—like reduced stiffness or tingling—as a reassuring sign that these changes are benefiting your back.

Standing with Weight on One Leg

It’s common to stand with weight shifted onto one leg, but this position can create imbalance in the hips and lower back. Over time, this habit may lead to discomfort and strain on one side of the body. Practice evenly distributing your weight on both legs when standing, which helps maintain proper spinal alignment and reduces the risk of lower back pain.

Conclusion

Maintaining good posture doesn’t require drastic changes—small adjustments can have a lasting impact on your health. By being mindful of habits like the forward head position or uneven standing, you can protect your body from unnecessary strain. 

Adding targeted exercises and observing your body’s response can further support a healthy posture, helping you feel stronger and more comfortable every day.



Want Clearer Skin? Here’s What You Need to Do

November 11, 2024

 If you want to make sure that your skin is as clear as possible then you have come to the right place. This guide will show you what steps you can take to ensure that your skin is always looking the best it can, without worrying about any side effects from harsh chemical products. The time to restore your body confidence is now.


Wash Twice a Day


One of the first things you need to do is make sure that you wash your face, twice a day. If you are prone to breakouts or if you have very oily skin then you need to make sure that you don’t skimp on things like this. Studies have shown that those who wash their face twice a day have way clearer skin. Although this may sound like a very simple step, it’s so important, so try and make sure that you keep that in mind if you want the best result out of your routine.




Source: Pexels


Mild Cleansers


You also need to make sure that you use mild cleansers where you can. The aisles at most drug stores are packed to the brim with a range of cleansers and although it is difficult to choose between them all, you need to take note that more expensive isn’t always better. You need to make sure that you are choosing one that contains hydroxy acids, and that you are also taking note of whether it is helping your skin. Remember that what benefits one person, may not benefit another, so try and make sure that you are keeping things like this in mind.


Acne Agents


Depending on the type of acne you have, you may need to look into different treatments. Comedonal acne, which includes blackheads and bumps that look similar, needs to be treated with an adapalene gel. If you have a mild form of acne then you may be able to treat this with topical benzoyl. This can be used to fight acne on its own or it can be used with a topical retinoid. You also have inflammatory acne. With this., you should be using dapsone gel. Using treatments like this together is one of the best ways for you to avoid acne, but if you use too many of them then you may end up drying out your skin, so make sure that you stay hydrated as much as possible.


Use a Moisturizer


You also need to make sure that you use a moisturizer if you can. If your skin is excessively dry then it may be good for you to try and compensate for this dryness. You may be tempted to use oil here but if you do then you may find that your acne ends up getting way worse. If you want to help yourself then it is wise for you to try and find a non-comedogenic cleanser. Like cleansers, one thing you need to take note of is that moisturizers do not need to be filled with a huge range of nasty chemicals. You may find that it is easy for you to swap to a moisturizer that doesn’t contain as much and if you do, you will soon find that you get better results.


Exfoliate

Exfoliation is so important. Exfoliation is the best way for you to remove excess dead skin cells. If these stay on your skin for too long then you may find that they end up clogging your pores and this can lead to even more breakouts. Having a build-up of dead cells on your face can make your skin look dull or flaky, not to mention that it can make your skin look as though it has aged prematurely. If you want to do something about this then it is a good idea for you to use a chemical exfoliant. For a mask or lotion, try and use it twice a week. If you are struggling to use anything or if you feel as though this doesn’t work for you then looking into alternative measures can be good. Visiting an Elan Skin & Laser Med Spa can be a good thing to do here, as it will give you the chance to better your skin without resorting to even more chemicals or products. It also allows you to get tailored recommendations for your skin, which can be a good thing if this is something that you have always struggled with. 


So as you can see, it’s very easy for you to boost your skincare routine and if you follow this guide, you’ll notice a huge improvement in your health overall.


True Story: Lost On A Mountain In Maine

October 27, 2024

 This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Blue Fox Entertainment.



Lost on a Mountain in Maine tells the inspiring true story of 12-year-old Donn Fendler, who becomes separated from his family by a fast-moving storm atop a treacherous mountain.



For nine days, Donn fights to stay alive as he attempts to survive the unforgiving wilderness of northern Maine without food, proper clothing, or the knowledge of how bad his situation really is. His disappearance sparks a massive search effort that captures national headlines and attracts hundreds of volunteers, including his father, who fears he may never see his son again. Rated PG

Directed by: Andrew Boodhoo Kightlinger
Produced by: Sylvester Stallone, Braden Aftergood, Dick Boyce and Ryan Cook
Written by: Luke Paradise (screenplay) – based on the book by Donn Fendler
Cast: Luke David Blumm, Paul Sparks, Caitlin FitzGerald, Ethan Slater, Griffin Wallace Henkel.


Lost On A Mountain In Maine is in theaters on November 1st.

Stay Connected: #LostonaMountaininMaine

Visit the Lost on a Mountain in Maine website to watch the movie trailer

Delve into the heart-pounding survival saga that served as the inspiration for this gripping cinematic masterpiece. Prepare yourself for a journey you simply won’t be able to tear yourself away from. Grab a copy of Lost On A Mountain In Maine on Amazon.



Are You a Good Candidate for a Smile Makeover?

October 24, 2024

It’s amazing how much of an impact your confidence can have on your reflection and on the way that you present yourself – both in professional and personal settings.

When you feel confident, you smile more. This makes you appear more approachable to those around you, not to mention the impact it has on self-esteem and personal confidence.

A smile makeover in Essex is one of the best options for those who credit dental issues with a lack of confidence, primarily because a smile makeover is designed to be customisable. Keep reading for more on this treatment option and eligibility criteria.



What is a Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover is a package of individual treatments that are all combined to enhance the smile and confidence of the client. 

Starting with a consultation and full smile assessment, the dental practitioner will discuss with the client what they hope to achieve with the makeover. Different treatments will then be discussed and selected to help rectify underlying structural issues and more aesthetic surface-level issues, in the hopes of helping the client to achieve the smile that will boost their confidence in the long term. 

To cut a long story short, a smile makeover is not a programmed selection of treatments but rather a flexible solution that considers the issues of each client and builds a tailored package for them. 

What Makes a Good Candidate for a Smile Makeover?

Because the smile makeover package is designed to be customised according to each client’s needs, it’s important to note first that there are no criteria with regard to the severity of each case. Rather, eligibility stems from overall health and from the quality of the client’s oral hygiene routine.

If a client has underlying issues like gum disease or decay or does not have a good oral health routine that includes brushing and regular check-ups, then there is a high chance that they will need to fix aspects of their oral health before seeking a smile makeover.

This is because, without a good foundation, results may not be as impactful or last as long. 

How to Know Which Treatments You Need

Whether you visit your dentist with a gap in your smile, an issue with discolouration, or cracks in your teeth, they will be able to assess and then recommend the best next steps based on your existing smile.

With the aim of a smile makeover being to enhance your most natural asset, every treatment that is recommended will be designed to improve your reflection with an eye to elevating your confidence. Your dentist or dental practitioner will build a makeover package that considers the length of each recommended treatment and its impact on the overall results – letting you know everything from the end-to-end timeline to the overall cost in advance. 

For more guidance on how to improve your smile and ultimately boost your confidence, get in touch with your local dentist.


What Makes Looking After Your Garden Easier?

October 16, 2024

If you are keen to make sure that you are caring for your garden as well as you could, there are quite a few things you might want to be aware of here in order to do so as best as you can. The truth is that caring for your garden should be relatively simple even at the worst of times, but you will need to make sure that you are aware of a few things in particular which might help with this.



With that in mind, we are going to take a look here at some of the things that can make gardening and looking after your garden quite a bit easier. You should find that you are going to really notice a huge change if you have thought about the following, and it’s therefore really worth focusing on as best as you can.



Keeping It Minimal


One thing that can help a lot with this is if you are keeping your garden relatively minimal. In other words, if you don’t have too much that you are trying to do or too many plants to look after, you should find that this helps a great deal with keeping the garden looking its best. So how can you keep it minimal? One of the best ways is to ensure that you are doing all you can to ensure you are not trying to look after too many different kinds of plants. This is going to make a huge difference and is something that you will probably be really glad to have thought about.



Use Native Plants


It’s also about the kinds of plants you go for, however. If you are trying to keep to a minimum how much you need to do to care for your garden, then you will want to have some low-maintenance plants, and that means probably sticking to native plants as much as you can. Native plants are going to be a lot easier to look after and they are so much more likely to have what they need without you having to do too much, so that is something that you might want to think about here. And it’s really going to mean that you are a lot more likely to look after your garden easily.



Get Better Tools


Gardening is so much easier and simpler if you have the right tools, so you might want to think about this and try to make sure that you do have the tools you need in order to make sure this works out well. It might be that you simply don’t have the right tools at the moment and that you therefore need to shop around for some. Or it could be that you need to look into chainsaw repair or fixing up some of your other tools. However you need to approach it, just make sure that you are doing all you can to get the right tools, and you should find that this helps a lot.



Enlist Some Help


It may be necessary to try and find some help from someone from time to time. This is certainly one of the best ways in which you can ensure you are going to have a much more beautiful garden, and that it is much easier to look after. As long as you have someone to help you even just some of the time, you should find that it makes a huge difference overall. So think about this, and consider some of the ways in which you might be able to approach this. Who might want to help you? What skills do they have? You might want to think about getting someone professional, or just ask a friend to help. Either way, it will help you to look after your garden a lot more easily.



Caring For It


If you really care about your garden, you will probably find that you are so much more likely to really look after it, and this is the kind of thing that you will definitely want to be aware of all in all. Caring for your garden is the kind of thing that is really going to be important to do right and which you should find joy in, so that is something to think about here.



Those are the main ways in which you can look after your garden a lot more easily, so make sure you are thinking about those.


Are You Afraid of the Dark: The Limited Series Three-Season Collection

October 12, 2024

 Available on DVD on October 15, 2024

LOS ANGELES – October 1, 2024 – Beloved horror anthology miniseries based on the ‘90s kids’ cult classic, Are You Afraid of the Dark? will be available as a limited series three-season collection through Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon. The series introduces all-new Midnight Society groups of kids who tell terrifying tales that lead to spooky and shocking revelations.

 

The reimagined “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” premiered in October 2019 as a limited series and introduced a new Midnight Society as they tell a scary story only to have the events of the story come to life. Season two Are You Afraid of the Dark?Curse of the Shadows, premiered in February 2021 and followed a new group of kids, who learn of a terrifying curse cast over their small town and are haunted by a mysterious creature. The third chapter, Are You Afraid of the Dark?Ghost Island, premiered in July 2022 and features another Midnight Society as they go on vacation on a resort island, until they learn about something sinister haunting the guests. Relive all the scary stories with The Limited Series Three-Season Collection, just in time for spooky-season and Halloween!


I use to love watching this with my son. They had some pretty good story plots.  This three series collection has some of my favorite episodes from the hit series.  This is perfect for the cold dark Fall nights.  Great for family Halloween parties or any night you want a little spookiness.

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Limited Series Three-Season Collection releases in time for the holidays with 3 DVD amarays in a giftable slipcase and will be available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment on October 15, 2024 for the suggested retail price of $13.99.


Are You Afraid of the Dark? Disc One includes:

·      Part One: Submitted for Approval

·      Part Two: Opening Night

·      Part Three: Destroy All Tophats

·      Special Features Include:

o  Season 1, Episode 2: the Tale of Laughing in the dark

o  Season 4, Episode 8: The Tale of Ghastly Grinner

o  Season 5, Episode 1: The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Curse of the Shadows - Disc Two includes:

·      The Tale of the Haunted Woods

·      The Tale of the Night Frights

·      The Tale of the Phantom Light

·      The Tale of the Danse Macabre

·      The Tale of the Midnight Magic

·      The Tale of the Darkhouse

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island – Disc Three includes:

·      The Tale of Room 13

·      The Tale of the Teen Spirit

·      The Tale of the Looking Glass

·      The Tale of the Other Side


Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Limited Series Three-Season Collection synopsis:

Are You Afraid of the Dark? Returns in this nightmarish three-part limited series event filled with scorpions, eyeless men, disappearing children and the creepiest carnival of all time! Rachel has a chance to join the secret Midnight Society. All she has to do is tell a truly terrifying story. But when the chilling events of her “Tale of Mr. Tophat” and the “Carnival of Doom” start to actually come true and her friends’ lives are at stake, Rachel must face her fears and end Mr. Tophat’s reign of terror.

 

Curse of the Shadows – An all-new Midnight Society location brings fresh scares when the group’s leader suddenly vanishes. The remaining members must follow the clues, confront dark forces, and ultimately uncover the truth behind their town’s terrifying curse. Will they break the curse of the shadows…before it’s too late?

 

Ghost Island – Four best friends and members of a Midnight Society get more than they bargained for when what they think is a fun summer vacation on a resort island turns into something sinister. They encounter genuine terror locked away in one of the rooms after checking into their hotel, and as the kids try to enjoy their vacation, they are pulled back into the mystery of the island’s ghosts, ultimately leading them to a terrifying and shocking revelation: many guests check into room 13, but they never check out.

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Limited Series Three-Season Collection fast facts:

Street Date: October 15, 2024

DVD: 32429337481 (US); 32429337474 (Canada)

Subtitles: English CC

Audio tracks available:

·      S1: English-US 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround; Spanish Stereo Dolby Digital, French Stereo Dolby Digital

·      S2: US 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround; Spanish Stereo Dolby Digital

·      S3: US 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround; Spanish Stereo Dolby Digital

Special Features: English 2.0 Dolby Digital

Video: Widescreen; Special Features: 4:3 Full Screen

Total True Run time: 568 min (9 hrs, 28 min.)

Individual Disc Runtimes: S2: 130 min; S2: 261 min; S3: 177 min

US Rating: Not Rated

US MSRP: $13.99 (DVD)

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 45th year, is the number one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing, and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.


About Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. The PHE division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, Paramount Players, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHE additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

 

About Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Paramount Pictures controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

 

© 2024 ViacomCBS All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and all related titles and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS

How To Avoid Over-Flexibility As A Freelancer

October 7, 2024


There’s a great deal of freedom in working as a freelancer or sole contractor. Not only can you pick and choose your clients (that is, if there’s a great volume of work available), but you can sometimes set your own hours and plan how you prefer to work. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to work hard. In fact, those who plan to work on their own terms will usually have to be even more productive in doing so.


That’s where some of the assumptions about freelancing or working independently can be a little incomplete. There’s such a thing as too much flexibility as a freelancer, and it’s best not to fall into that. If you’re a “I’m productive when I feel like it” type of person (don’t worry, most people would prefer to work when they wanted to also), that can be a good way to seem unreliable or uncontactable at appropriate times


This is just one example. That’s why in this post, we’ll discuss a few measures to avoid over-flexibility as a freelancer, and potentially help you overcome those issues:


Set Contact Hours


Some clients might expect you to respond to emails at midnight or jump on a call on your day off. But the truth is, you’re still allowed to have set hours. In fact, you should! It not only helps you keep a routine, but it also sets expectations for your clients.


After all, if clients know you’re reachable between, say, 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., they’ll be less likely to bother you outside of those hours. In a way this means training your clients expectations, but also training yourself to adhere to certain timelines too. You’re not doing anyone any favors by being available 24/7 as burnout is real. So we’d recommend that you set your hours, stick to them, and make sure your clients know when they can (and can’t) reach you.


Register As A Limited Company


If you’re freelancing regularly, you might want to consider registering as a limited company. It’s not as scary as it sounds. By doing so, you separate your personal finances from your business, which can protect you if something goes wrong down the line. 


Just make sure you register correctly, such as by using online assistance for EIN application to get your tax ID. You’ll also look more professional to clients, which might open up bigger opportunities should you be registered on the business listings.


Understand Your Sales Regulations

Freelancers often skip this part, sometimes out of innocence, but if you’re selling a service or product, you’ve got to know the regulations. This is especially true if you’re working internationally. Each country has its own rules about what you can sell, how you need to price things, and how taxes work. 


It can be a bit overwhelming, but understanding these rules is key to staying out of trouble. Of course, nailing selling to your local market is important first. If you’re running a kitchen out of your home, for example, like selling homemade kimchi, then these premises will need to be inspected and you need a hygiene rating. That’s just one example.


Set Your Realistic Work Volume & Delivery Timeline


This is perhaps the most important advice you could ever hear: be honest with yourself about your capacity. It might help to sit down and figure out how long your usual tasks take. If designing a website takes you 20 hours, and you only have 40 hours in your workweek, that means you can’t realistically take on more than two big projects a week from different clients.

It’s also good to factor in a buffer for unexpected delays or emergencies, because they happen to even the biggest and most dependable firms. After all, life has a way of being more important than business. Giving yourself some breathing room will help you know that you’re not constantly scrambling to meet deadlines, which makes you more reliable in the long run. Clients love a freelancer who can deliver on time, every time, without excuses, and if that means asking for more time for a job well done, then that’s what it means.

Keep Your Branding Simple


Don’t go overboard with the branding despite all those decisions being entirely yours. Keep it simple. Your brand should reflect who you are and what you do with only a few little frills. If you’re a graphic designer, maybe you have a clean, visual website that showcases your portfolio. If you’re a copywriter, perhaps you let your writing speak for itself through your online presence and previous testimonials. Don’t think you need the flashiest UI. Just let your work speak for itself.


With this advice, we hope you can avoid over-flexibility even as a freelancer.


How to Know If Your Partner Is Worth Investing Your Life Into

September 30, 2024




Pexels - CC0 License


It’s a lovely thing to connect with another person, to share your life with them, and to grow alongside them as a person. But it’s also true that doing so is both a privilege for you and them equally. It’s a lot to expect of another person to commit themselves to you, and it’s a lot for them to expect of you also. 


For this reason, it’s always wise to wait until you’re certain this is the one you wish to stay with before progressing. Of course, this isn’t exactly an uncommon situation, as many individuals will wait at least a couple of years between meeting and deciding to progress their relationship to full commitment, such as by proposing marriage.


But how can you know if your partner is the one to invest your life into? Now, none of us can truly predict the future, but there are ways of making sure you’re at least approaching the decision with good sense. If your partner shows some of the following virtues, it may be worth going forward and taking your connection seriously:


You Can Be The Most Vulnerable Around Them


It's a special thing when you can let your guard down completely with someone. That means you feel like you can show all the sides of yourself - the good, the bad, and the sometimes messy. If you can share your deepest fears, dreams, and silliest thoughts without feeling judged, that's something to hold onto because that person is willing to accept you. Of course, that’s not necessarily the same as dumping emotions on constantly and expecting them to help you at your convenience, but it's more about feeling safe and like you belong there, even when you're not at your best. 


This is especially important during the tough times. Often, women that have experienced the full help of targeted services, such as an unplanned pregnancy organization, know that the community and dedicated charitable workers can unfortunately show ten times the love, duty and care that their partners ever did. It’s important to know your partner would be there when it really matters, to the best of your ability, and never out of a sense of obligation, romantic or otherwise.


The Relationship Isn’t, And Likely Never Was, Transactional


It’s essential to remember that love isn't about keeping score with one another. In a solid relationship, both people give freely without constantly thinking about what they're getting back. In other words, it should be a deep friendship and not just romance. It's not a case of "I did the dishes, so you owe me a back rub." Instead, it's more like both of you naturally want to make each other's lives better because that makes your life better too. So in other words, instead of 50:50, both should put in 100%.


You Share, But Most Importantly Embody, Values & Principles


Sure, it's great when you and your partner see eye to eye on the big ideas and of course some morals need to be matched. But it's even better when you both actually live those shared values and can discuss and grow with them. It’s actually healthy not to have someone around who just parrots everything you think, of course, but without the ability to embody the changing views you both have, even agreements are relatively worthless.


With this advice, you’re sure to know if your partner is someone worth investing your time into.



Pexels - CC0 License


It’s a lovely thing to connect with another person, to share your life with them, and to grow alongside them as a person. But it’s also true that doing so is both a privilege for you and them. It’s a lot to expect of another person to commit themselves to you, and it’s a lot for them to expect of you also. 


For this reason, it can’t hurt to wait until you’re certain this is the one you wish to stay with before progressing. Of course, this isn’t exactly an uncommon situation, as many individuals will wait at least a couple of years between meeting and deciding to progress their relationship to full commitment, such as by becoming married.


But how can you know if your partner is the one to invest your life into? Now, none of us can truly predict the future, but there are ways of making sure you’re at least making the decision with good sense. If your partner shows some of the following virtues, it may be worth going forward and taking your connection seriously:


You Can Be The Most Vulnerable Around Them


It's a special thing when you can let your guard down completely with someone. That means you feel like you can show all the sides of yourself - the good, the bad, and the sometimes messy. If you can share your deepest fears, wildest dreams, and silliest thoughts without feeling judged, that's something to hold onto because that person is willing to accept you. Of course, that’s not necessarily the same as dumping emotions on constantly and expecting them to help you at your convenience, but more about feeling safe and like you belong there, even when you're not at your best. Sometimes though, you may need to feel safe, like when going with them to an unplanned pregnancy organization or dealing with a loss in the family. When you can be truly yourself, and your partner still looks at you like you're their favorite person - that's a pretty good sign.


The Relationship Isn’t, And Likely Never Was, Transactional


It’s essential to remember that love isn't about keeping score with one another. In a solid relationship, both people give freely without constantly thinking about what they're getting back. In other words, it should be a deep friendship and not just romance. It's not a case of "I did the dishes, so you owe me a back rub." Instead, it's more like both of you naturally want to make each other's lives better because that makes your life better too. So in other words, instead of 50:50, both should put in 100%.


You Share, But Most Importantly Embody, Values & Principles


Sure, it's great when you and your partner see eye to eye on the big ideas and of course some morals need to be matched. But it's even better when you both actually live those shared values and can discuss and grow with them. It’s actually healthy not to have someone around who just parrots everything you think, of course, but without the ability to embody the changing views you both have, even agreements are relatively worthless.


With this advice, you’re sure to know if your partner is someone worth investing your time into.