by Lisa Musser

Created on: December 08, 2008   Last Updated: January 16, 2010

A successful romantic relationship takes careful planning. Not every relationship was meant to be. And sometimes we don't always know right away if someone is right for us or not. As the saying goes" to find a prince, sometimes you gotta kiss a lot of frogs". Meaning that a successful relationship takes time to grow and shouldn't be rushed.Sometimes it is tempting to rush things a little especially if you have been in the dating game for a while.But you can make a lot of mistakes  if you jump in to soon.Type the words "Dating Advice" into Google and you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips.So where to begin....I can't say I am an expert on this subject because I'm not. I am in the same boat with everybody else. We're all looking for that special someone. But I have had a few romantic relationships in the past and learned a few things along the way.

When you meet someone that you are interested in, get to know them a little before planning a date. At least spend a little time talking to them first.Then if all is good, go ahead an accept that invitation to dinner or a movie. The early stages of a relationship are very important as this is the time that those little red flags will raise if there are any so pay careful attention.How many times have you heard a friend say something after a relationship that went sour "I wish I would have known that sooner", or "why didn't I see that".The signs were there, you just weren't paying attention. You were caught up in the moment of a new romance. So to establish a successful romantic relationship you need to take things slow. Love doesn't grow overnight no matter how much you want it to.You have to build it step by step. And things that are important in a relationship are: attraction, communication,trust and mutual interests.

Number 1, attraction, you cant fall in love with someone you're not physically attracted to.I know that looks aren't the most important thing but they do play a part. No matter how nice or sweet or caring someone is, if there's not at least something you find attractive about the person, the relationship won't last. Number 2 communication, you should be able to sit and have conversations together about almost any subject you find interesting to the both of you.It makes it difficult if one person is friendly and sociable and likes to talk about their love of horses, while the other one is quiet and shy and doesn't talk much. Number 3 trust, trust is very important in a relationship. Don't date anyone you couldn't trust. If a guy or girl has a reputation for being a player or a flirt don't think that you can change their nature.If you suspect that they would cheat on you then they probably would, and why would you want them in the first place. And lastly, mutual interests. You must have things in common.You don't have to like all of the same things, but you should be able to do a few things together that you both enjoy. With relationships that don't work out, its usually because they were complete opposites. They find that they have nothing in common and eventually they just get bored and move onto someone else.How many times do you see couples who just aren't right for each other and then a few weeks down the road and their with someone new.

So the point to all this is, save yourself the agony of going through boyfriend, after boyfriend, after boyfriend and take the time to find the one that is really right for you in the first place and see where you end up. Who knows it may turn into love.....

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