Intriguingly enough, in long term marriages, where there is long term Being In Love, there is another part of the brain which is involved and must be involved for LONG TERM SUCCESS.
I do not have the brain section TERMINOLOGY in front of me. I’ll be sure to provide that to the group in the future.
The Long Term Success Section for couples In Love for the long haul, this other part of the brain is different than the marvelous toe curling part of the brain happily receiving dopamine from the happy aroused pheromones. As well as a different part of the brain which require NEWNESS least we become – The Worst – bored.
The Long Term Relationship Success part of the brain reads and requires…..
PEACEFUL CALMNESS
Indeed, it is that feeling which is the result of when we fight and struggle to communicate and when we WORK at our marriage and unite as singles into a committed relationship, that true intimacy is achieved. We FEEL cherished, respected, received and loved. We feel safe and secure. This person knows my faults, helps me to continue to grow, AND still loves me. In fact, having been THROUGH fights which became merely miscommunication resolved, our love DEEPENED. We truly KNEW each other and LOVED each other.
Then love becomes a CHOICE not just a sentiment and whimsical feeling of the moment as it is in the ATTRACTION STAGE. Then we choose to love each other, not just when we FELT like it. And then LOVE becomes an action. We LOVE each other. We ACT in LOVING ways and behaviors. Yes, of course, we are still imperfect. Just there is that CALM, that PEACEFULNESS. And it is there in Long Term Successful Marriage relationships.
That is where we can wear absolutely no makeup and he thinks we are utterly beautiful. And we see a man who has courage and diligence. Unlike all the “Real Housewives Of XYZ location” where they must ALWAYS each and every day look unbelievably perfect which is such a huge stress. When the PEACEFUL CALM part kicks in, we can allow that full range of ourselves to show.
INTIMACY
It is only ONE element. The Long Term Successful Marriage relationships ALSO require we continue to feed CHEMISTRY. Which we do with good grooming and behavior and dress which acquentuate the differences between the sexes. The Long Term Successful Marriage relationship also needs injections periodically over a period of extended time of NEWNESS to keep thing vital like new oxygen to the blood stream.
When singles are dating, indeed, all three elements need to be considered:
Attraction – chemistry and passion
Newness – continual learning and stimulation for vitality
Peaceful Calm – true intimacy
When all three elements are present in a courtship, this just might become a wondeful marriage relationship.
Happy Dating and Relationships!
April Braswell
Dating Expert and Online Dating Coach
As seen in Dating for Dummies, 3rd Edition
April Braswell is an expert columnist at DatingAdvice.com and speaks to singles in Singles Groups and Church Singles Ministries as well as Divorce Support Groups. Looking to Book April to speak at your Singles Event? Email to Book April: April (at) AprilBraswell.com
Darryl Pace says
April 18, 2009 at 11:13 PMApril,
Thank you for the well-written blog on what is required for long term relationship success. Good list of the elements of relationships that singles need to look for and strive for.
Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace
Fitness Product Review
Sonya Lenzo says
April 18, 2009 at 10:24 PMDo you think it is necessary for both parties to acknowledge and work at these 3 areas for a relationship to work/be successful?
SunnyMarie
Duane Cunningham says
April 19, 2009 at 12:25 AMHi April,
That was a sensational description of something I always wanted to know about what was the success ingredients that gave my mum and dad such an amazing relationship! they had that Peaceful Clam as you described it that i always thought….hmm thats what i want to experience!
Thanks for your truly expert advice!
Duane
John Ho says
April 19, 2009 at 6:04 AMApril,
Good criteria for long term relationship!
ime transition and change in social fabrics revolutionizes our expectation of long term relationships.
Even at my parent’s generation, marriage is a life long commitment, divorce is uncommon NO MATTER how unhappy the relationship is. These days, most people wonder HOW long their marriage can last. Whether this is good or bad, it all depends on the person’s value systems.
John Ho
Christian Haller says
April 19, 2009 at 6:09 AMAprill – Good advice. Realtionships take effort and choices. So many expect it to just happen on its own – as if.
Christian Haller
Rob Northrup says
April 19, 2009 at 7:59 AMDixie and I are now at 23 years and counting and its never a dull moment. I certainly sympathize with my friends who have been through divorce. Esp when you are young, sometimes one or the other grows out of it.
Kind of like buying shoes for a ten year old. They will be outgrowing them soon. Better to wait on the permanent shoes till the feet stop growing…
Seize the Day,
Rob
Steve Chambers says
April 19, 2009 at 8:21 AMRelationships are complicated and take work if they are going to last long term. Then again, the idea that a relationship has to last for a lifetime is a mythical construct that has no basis in biology or human nature.
A better and more realistic goal is to find someone who makes us happy and helps us to grow. If we outgrow the relationship we can move on. It is better for both parties.
Steve,
Bob Kaufer says
April 19, 2009 at 8:25 AMI like the term peaceful calm.
Thanks for the information.
Bob Kaufer
JJ Jalopy says
April 19, 2009 at 10:00 AMThis is a really awesome description.
I love the term peaceful calm. I love this idea. It’s beautiful.
Thanks April.
JJ Jalopy.
Lynn Lane says
April 19, 2009 at 10:24 AMPeaceful Calm.
That’s what Deborah my wife and I have. 25 years and counting.
We met when we were kids. Kevin says she needs a metal.
Lynn Lane
Yann Vernier says
April 19, 2009 at 12:33 PMWhat an excellent post. I never thought there was so much to consider when it comes to dating – but it makes a lot of sense – atttraction, newness, peaceful calm. Great stuff. Thank yo
All the best,
Yann
Pat Becker says
April 19, 2009 at 1:00 PMI have friends and relatives who have been in very long-term relationships, coming up on the 50 year mark, if they haven’t already passed this anniversary. It is always to relaxing and refreshing to be around them, to enjoy the peace they’ve created in their relationship over the years.
-Pat
Mitchell Rehaume says
April 19, 2009 at 2:51 PMApril,
That was a pretty intensive post and well written. Thank you for all the wonderful information.
Mitch
David Power says
April 19, 2009 at 4:52 PMLove your stuff!!! as a hypnotherapist a lot of what you have said is what I would discuss in therapy
David
Don Shepherd says
April 19, 2009 at 6:56 PMApril
i agree with what you have to say about newness, and attraction and peacful calm. Great recipe for success.
I think i left out some of the ingredients.
Don Shepherd
Pam Schulz says
April 19, 2009 at 7:03 PMI have always believed that love is best defined as an action – usually a self-sacrificing one made on behalf of someone else.
Pam
Lisa McLellan says
April 19, 2009 at 8:06 PMIn love for the long haul – these days this sounds like an impossible task or maybe just old fashioned. Isn’t the divorce rate like 50% or something crazy like that? come on April, show them how to bring the romance back!
Lisa McLellan, Babysitting Classes – Babysitters, Nannies, and Au-pairs
Anthony Lemme says
April 20, 2009 at 12:57 PMThat is so true April. Love is a choice. People often don’t like to hear that, but once you get past all of the romantic idealism and the rush of “happy chemicals” you are with anthother human being who is perfect in their imperfection. That is when you make your choice and be yourself and accept the other as their self… or not.
Kind regards,
Anthony Lemme
Sandi says
April 18, 2010 at 10:51 PMHi April, your online dating tips are great
Elizabeth Hutchkinson says
October 7, 2010 at 7:16 AMHi April, this is an interesting read. I’d like to read more of these sort of relationship tip posts in the future. I thhank you for sharing your insights about coaching for building better relationships. Do keep it up!