Creating Sparks That Last & All Things Relationships

Or could you have both? Elora Canne Blogger I mentioned that I’d be discussing relationship books here on the blog, for the foreseeable future. I feel it gives a broader perspective of relationships than just me.  Today’s post isn’t technically a book discussion, although it is called the Book Club and it’s based very loosely on Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist , so it counts in my book ;) In the movie Book Club: The Next Chapter , four female friends find out just how far they will go for both love and friendship. I’m always interested in different views of midlife relationships and these four friends provide exactly that; later-in-life women at a crossroads in their love life. Incidentally, in our last blog post I said I’d let you know which term best suits midlife love and the winner was Later-in-Life Love. Our four female friends and their love conundrums are as follows: Vivian finds herself engaged to long-time lover Arthur, and her friends surprise her with their wedding all se...

Do you choose a word of the year? It doesn't always stay in the fore front of my mind when I have selected a word for the year but it certainly helps me stay focused on my projects. Image above embodies: Propel/Focus/In-Sync What is your word or phrase for 2023? The reason I've chosen 'PROPEL' as my word, is it's very definition to: push, move or drive something forwards. To push, move or drive through barriers or obstacles. To spur or drive into a particular situation. I mean, it's an exact proposal for living, right? Life can throw obstacles our way and it is our own business to maneuver our way around them and keep moving forwards . That is the ultimate secret to SUCCESS, but remember… Success looks different for everyone   To keep my writing career successfully moving forwards, I am changing course into fiction this year. Truth be told, my upcoming release is based on true events, so I like to think of it as factual fiction. Have you read any great examples ...

Redefining Boundaries https://unsplash.com/@yirage Committing to a life-long marriage through difficult times takes a lot of courage. Each partner has to redefine for themselves the kind of life they want to lead within the walls of a partnership. Will you be willing to forgo some of your identity to take on the characteristics of a partner, who, just a few years ago was a complete stranger? How well do you know each other? In this life that you share, how deeply have you truly got to know each other? What you do on a daily basis in the humdrum of a nine to five lifestyle erodes the learnings and coping mechanisms adopted from your years of younger love. Invisible introspection can dim the light in your eyes if you let it. Old habits take over  if you forget to create  special moments together Learning to redefine the meaning of love means learning to redefine boundaries that no longer have any meaning. Boundaries that were significant at the beginning of your relationship as ...

Sparks That Last Forever https://unsplash.com/@whynottogoforit It seems improbable that a relationship can maintain it's passion through decades of wear and tear from life's ups and downs. But I'm here to tell you that it is possible. Not easy. But possible. It's not the same passion as newly falling in love, as we've discussed before, but I can testify that it is even better than that dizzy feeling of heading into a relationship with uncertainty for the future. Because by now, I'm in the future of my relationship.  Three and a half decades later of being with the same partner has brought some sobering perspectives to our outlook. The comfort of knowing each other relatively well; knowing that your are loved; knowing how to love in return - these are the joys of longevity in a relationship. Further reading suggestion It Just Keeps Getting Better It’s important to remember that nothing stays the same. Not even when you've been together seemingly forever.  We...

 A Good Relationship Is Something You Make Image credit @carolinamarinelli on Unsplash Setting goals as a couple helps unify your focus. It connects your purpose for your relationship and ensures that you are both invested in its longevity. Working towards the longevity of your relationship can take effort, but setting goals together is one of the easiest ways to do it. Because you're both invested in the same outcome of that particular goal, it gives your relationship direction and purpose. As quoted from Revive Your Midlife Marriage - Midlife Marriage Strategist on Instagram: A good marriage isn't something you find. It's something you make, and you have to keep on making it every single day. She goes on to ask: 'Are you accepting things that could really be different if you put a little time, energy, and intention into it?' Marriage can feel overwhelming and make you feel like you don't have the energy to work on it, so we ignore what's happening and try ...