3. Relationship rules. Relationship rules have to be negotiated regarding work, play, money, and sex. She believes in working till you drop; he believes that enough is enough. She want opera; he wants to go to the football game.  She wants sex occasionally; he wants it often. Negotiate!

4. Selfishness. People want to have their own way. Trade out so both of you get your needs met in the relationship.

5. Wounds. Wounds, from past relationships or family, projected into your current relationship will cause problems. Big ones. He/ she is different, better we hope, because we have learned from our past mistakes and don't want to repeat them.

6. Differences: Sex differences and idiosyncratic differences and differences of personality. The more you have in common, the better chance you have of making it together.

7. Self-esteem. The level of solid self-esteem each person has achieved will make a big difference. If you don't like you, then why should anyone else?

8. Familiarity, boredom and routine. 150 years ago marriages lasted 15 years. With today's life expectancy a marriage can last many times that long. Women know more about romance than men.  But women can teach us; most of us are willing to learn,  especially  when we know the rewards.

9. Controlling. Controlling another's friends, time, or anything else will create major blocks and place barriers between partners.

10. Jealousy. Jealously is truly a Green-Eyed Monster that will cause relationships to fail. Jealousy is based in fear and seldom based in reality. Fear is defined as False Evidence Appearing Real, not reality.

The above are causes of many needless breakups. If you mistrust, want to control, have contempt for and/or withdraw from your partner, then you are headed towards trouble in your relationship. Everyone needs to feel trusted, appreciated, and loved.

You can think,  and know, you are "right," and still be wrong. Right and wrong are not what counts in a relationship. This counts: Does it work, and if it doesn't work, how can we fix it so both parties feel good about themselves?

An old saying that I want to leave you with is," When someone makes you feel good about being who you are, that is the person you want to be with more and more."

Are you someone who makes others glad they are who they are?

If your answer is YES, then you will find love.

If your answer is NO, then just think about what you are missing in life.

Additional information about love, loving, being loved.

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Note: The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of CyberParent. They are not intended to take the place of advice of a health or other professional whose expertise you might need to seek.