Most of us have problems making relationships work. It should be understood that love, alone, does not guarantee a long lasting relationship. If you’re observant enough, you would know that nowadays, it’s very rare for couples to stay together for a long time or throughout their lifetime. You might even find it confusing when you find out why two people who have been in a serious relationship for several years end up not getting married and going their separate ways.

How do married couples make love last? Here are some tips for a lasting relationship.

Share a strong common faith

Numerous studies have revealed that married couples that share a Love for God have a stronger love for each other. Part of it may be the commandments “thou shalt not commit adultery” and “thou shalt not murder.” But several studies show, according to Dr. G. Rekers, this “isn’t because of religion-based prohibitions. Church attenders were simply found to be happier with their marriages.

Be “There” for Your Partner

This research shows that husbands and wives who feel supported in their marriages are happier. On the other hand, “feelings of insecurity are generally associated with lower satisfaction, and in some cases may spark conflict in the relationship,” says Acevedo. “This can manifest into obsessive love.” To build a successful marriage, both spouses need to be there for each other.

If partners are aware of the “highs and lows” in love, the happier they’ll be for the long-term (because they won’t have unrealistic expectations for romance or passion).

Maintain a Strong Friendship in Marriage

To build romantic love, take time and energy to be friends with your husband or wife. Learn new things together, such as how to make sushi or how to geocache. Take an adventure vacation together. Read books together, about companion love and building a happy marriage. Make it a habit to please and give your partner what he or she needs as much as possible.

There exists a host of options for women today to get rid of the extra pounds gained from unhealthy eating, previous pregnancy, or even from inherited genes. There is pilates, yoga, kama movement, bellydancing, lapdance, pole dancing, among others. Women can go to the gym, hire a nutritionist or dietician, and purchase a diet plan online that guarantee weight loss in just months or even take diet pills and never break a sweat over exercise.

When all else fails, women can always go to their cosmetics surgeon to have these extra fats taken away in just a few zip and zap. All these are good and all these cost time and money, which are precious resources for anyone.

For those who do not have the extra time and money to spend on all of these, here are ways on how to work your way to a sexy body without that extra cost.

1)      Eat healthy. This is easier said than done and we all have strived to eat healthy at some point in our lives but have failed nevertheless. The secret to eating healthy is following a diet plan and sticking to it with all the self-control and discipline that we are gifted with. Maybe for some, the expensive cost of a plan spurs them to follow it meticulously but for some, it could be another thing. Find what that thing is in your heart and use it to jostle you towards the right eating direction.

2)      Exercise regularly. You don’t have to go to the gym or to attend a class with other people. You can work out inside the comforts of your own home, with the littlest exercise equipment possible such as a jumping rope or even a mat for sit-ups or push-ups. Again, a gym class or partner may be able to play a role as your accountability partner so you can be motivated to exercise on a regular basis but really, for some it could be a different thing. Find what that thing is in your life and use it to inspire you to exercise habitually.

3)      Live a stress-free life.  Know what your stressors are and flee from them. There is no other way but to get these out of your system and start living free. Stress can cause eating and sleeping problems, which ruin the equilibrium inside our bodies and may result to obesity or anorexia or even a simple weight gain or loss. Without the stresses in our lives, it will be fairly easy and the discipline needed for a healthy kind of life will be within reach.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s twins are successful at stealing the spotlight from their parents as they have been part of the Christmas video, which was released December 2011, where the twins were featured. Being the proud mommy that she was, Mariah shared with reporters that her twins are really the most adorable creatures. You just come up to them and they give you their best smiles, as if knowing that they are always being filmed. Mariah was also very pleased to share that both are most likely destined to be stars, as they are both the “life of the party.”  They share identical smiles with their mommy and have bright personalities.

Mariah Carey gave birth to the twins via Ceasarean section, on the couple’s third wedding anniversary, last April 30 of this year, coming into the world to a live version of the singer’s favorite track, “Fantasy.” Mariah and husband Nick Cannon announced the twins’ names on May 4 via their website.  The name Monroe, for their baby girl, was inspired by the late singer Marilyn Monroe who has been a great influence to Mariah. As for Moroccan, the origin of his name came from where his Daddy proposed to Mommy in her New York apartment, in a room dubbed the “Moroccan Room” because of its Moroccan-inspired theme.

Mariah Carey also shared with the world how it has not been easy for them to get pregnant and after finally succeeding, the strains of carrying twins, which caused her back problems. Having gone through the difficulties of being pregnant and delivering twins, Mariah revealed that parenthood is, for her, the most life challenging experience she has ever gone through and it brought out such love for her babies that is above and beyond anything that she and her husband had ever dreamed of.

The 27-year old “California Girls” singer spent her Christmas enjoying the Hawaii beach and basking under the sun’s full glorious heat. To top it all, she was with her husband Russell Brand and some of her closest friends. The singer was spotted wearing a skimpy bikini, which showed of her sexy body while soaking up the heat. If you have it, flaunt it, as they so rightfully say.

The pop star was vacationing in Hawaii in a private rented luxury villa. She was seen during her time on the beach with some friends including her BFF Markus Molinari, among others. Onlookers saw her and her husband getting off their private plane looking really happy as they stepped off to Kauia for the Christmas weekend. Though Russell Brand was not included in their photos at the beach, Katy Perry was clearly enjoying her vacation, taking time to enjoy the water as well relaxing on the sand.

This time is in stark comparison to the pop star’s stay at Chateau Marmont where she spent a dark night. This does not refer in any way to her marital status with husband Russell Brand but to the fact that it was lights out for her and the group of friends she was with during her stay at the Chateau. Apparently, there had been a power outage at the place and as a result, all the lights were cut. Katy Perry and her group of friends had to navigate their way into the venue via candle lights. Their group decided to continue enjoying the night, grabbed some comfortable couches and chitchatted by candlelight. Onlookers share that it was hectic for the party but it was fun.

Luckily, the pop star compensated her not-so-sunny stay at Chateau Marmont with her bright and shiny fun-filled vacation in Hawaii!

Sandra Bullock and ex-husband Jesse James have finalized their divorce last June 2010. The exes, however, continued to be involved in each others’ lives as they take care of their children,   Chandler, 15, Jesse Jr, 12 and Sunny, 6. After the divorce, Sandra also had the freedom to complete her adoption of 6-month old son Louis, whom she was seen spending time with in New Orleans and Austin. They kept in close contact with each other, but friends share that it is really about the kids more than anything.

A year and a half after the divorce, Sandra shares that she feels permanently broken and could not imagine ever going back to acting in the movies again.  She said that she felt contented staying where she was, never having the strength to step out and start working again. She realizes, however, that there will come a time when she will be prepared. This is where the opportunity from director Stephen Daldry came in.

The director lobbied for Sandra to appear in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” and the actress said that this particular chance to shine in the movies again, was louder than her head and hence, she accepted. Daldry presented to her the material and Sandra said that it is the best in every possible way and she could not have said no to it.

The movie is about grief over the loss of a father during the 9/11 tragedy. It is also about how New York is like after what happened. When Oskar (the main character in the story played by Thomas Horn), the boy who mourns for the loss of his father, discovers and envelope with a key among his Dad’s things, he ventures into a journey to find the lock it opens and meeting a string of wondrous people in the process.

The film opened on limited release last December 25 and expands nationwide on January 20.

Love is like biking. You don’t learn it by reading a book about it or being taught how by a person. The only way to completely learn how to love or how to ride a bike is to dive into it and try it.

It is an innate urge to learn. Some would call it equipping by the gods as there is no way to get through life if you do not learn your way through it. To love is also an innate yearning. That is why people from all walks of life feel the longing to love another as soon as they are born and have the ability to think for themselves.

The question is not really if people know love when they see it, because they do. The real issue is if a person knows how to recognize true love from one that is fake, if one can handle real love when it smacks him in the face, and if one can respond properly to love and express his in his own unique way.

There are those who are in love and yet do not know how to let it out. There are those who have someone who truly loves them but do not know how to receive it and respond. Still, there are those who think they love the best way they know how, but the recipient of that love does not feel it.

There really is no getting around it. No matter how much you read about love, or how many family and friends share with you about it, the best teacher is really experience. You have to open your heart to feel love and to express love. You have to be unafraid to enter into a relationship with an imperfect person who has the same misconceptions, apprehensions and inhibitions about love. And trust that by loving each other, you will both learn the most you can and enjoy the journey.

If this did not get you into the Christmas Spirit, I don’t know what did!

The 24-year old actress, Hillary Duff, painted her pregnant belly with a gift-wrapped package and a Christmas greeting, courtesy of her sister, and posted this on Tweeter for all 200,000 of her followers to see. This is her way of providing festive cheers to all of her fans, family and friends. The message, which accompanied the picture was, “Happy Holidays from the three of us!! @HaylieK: what would I do without you and your artistic ways!”

The young actress is really happy to have this child with husband Mike Comrie and shares that she is amazed of how easy her pregnancy had been so far and how wonderful it is to feel the baby’s kicks inside her and to see it from outside of her belly as well. She cannot believe that there is life inside her and that it is a part of her and her husband and it drives her wild, in a really good sense.

The couple was seen doing some last-minute Christmas shopping at upscale boutique Barney and Gaga’s Worskshop in Beverly Hills, where they apparently splurged. Taken also was a picture of her and her husband while inside their vehicle and Hillary Duff was clearly benefiting from the “glow” attributed to pregnancy as she opted to put on the least make up and to just put her hair up in a low ponytail, but nevertheless, she looked really beautiful. She was also wearing very comfortable clothes — gray clingy long-sleeved t-shirt over skinny jeans and red stilettos and sometimes she opts for really casual attire, such as sweats over leggings and flats, when she goes alone to shop.

Hillary and Mike are expecting their first child together in the spring.

Ever wanted to have a haircut that will shock your family and friends? Most people are afraid of having their hair cut too short or to style them too different from what they, and people around them, have gotten used to. As a consequence, they just stick to little snips here and there or a bit of styling once in a while but never too much to veer away from what has been already been considered one’s signature hairstyle.

For celebrities, this is clearly not the case as they go from one astounding hairstyle after another, depending on their every mood or every situation. Their hairdo also follows whatever is required of the movies or TV programs they are currently involved in, say, Natalie Portman going bald in her movie, “Vendetta.”

But as a typical individual, what keeps you from stepping out and getting that hairstyle you like but are afraid to have done just because you feel you will be getting out of your hair “comfort zone?” The following are tips on how to get rid of these “haircut” jitters:

1)      Simulate it.  Thanks to technology, there are various software now, which can simulate the hairstyle that you wish to have and check out if it looks good on you before having it done. Also, if by any reason you do not gain access to any of these software, you can go to department stores or malls, which sell hair wigs, and try out ones which you consider to be your future haircut. These may not show you exactly how you will look after your haircut but they will definitely provide a picture of future you which is close enough.

2)      Prepare. If, say, you plan to wear bangs when you are used to just pulling your hair back or clipping it at the sides, you can still go on with it but buy a number of hair bands or hair clips which you can use to still pull your hair back or clip it on the sides should you not like your future bangs. You cannot do away with dad hair days completely and all your life but there’s always the option to accessorize to enhance your hairstyle.

3)      Believe. Know in your heart that your face is what makes you beautiful and your hair is just another accessory to accentuate the beauty of your face. No matter what hairstyle you choose, may it be simple or totally out of the ordinary, your face will always shine over it.

It is not something that any man can be proud of nor is it something that you should bury your head for. Shit happens to the best of us. Early ejaculation is as bad as it can get when it comes to having sex but it is not the end of the world. You can get back on again; just give yourself a few hours. More importantly, there are ways on how to prevent this from ever happening again. Here are some tips:

1)      Defocus. It will seem extremely difficult to execute especially when in the midst of a steamy foreplay or at the throes of the sexual act, but you have to weigh the benefits against the cost. If you want to prolong the pleasure derived from having sex with your partner, better focus on other thoughts aside from sex and hope that this takes your mind off coming too soon.

2)      Change positions. Assuming that you know yourself when it comes to sex, you must avoid the sexual position that really puts you on the race towards ejaculation. You should know it better than anyone. It may be doggie style, missionary or what have you. Save it for the final leg of your engagement.

3)      Fight your biology. A man should know better than to undulate his hips a certain angle when in the middle of it, or thrust too hard and too fast (with a steady rhythm and acceleration) or even linger on the upper end of your shaft while pumping. All of these will, with 100% certainty, drive you wild and bring your sex to completion in as little as 2-3 minutes, especially if you have been in foreplay for a while. Try your very best to shy away from and devise alternative ways out of these and instead enjoy the little pleasures first.

There may be other ways, but these are one of the most important ways to prevent your birdie from coming off too soon. Don’t forget that the ultimate goal is to satisfy your partner and yourself as long as you want. Quality over quantity!

Taking care of one’s skin should sit on top of a woman’s priority list. After all, clothes can be changed to suit one’s personality or even a particular mood. It can be used to enhance one’s beauty. But your face is all you have and it’s yours forever so you better give it the utmost care it deserves or else it will wrinkle or break out on you. The following are the five most important steps to taking care of your skin.

1)      Cleanse. Pick your favorite facial cleanser. Brand does not really matter as long as you take time to clean your face especially if you wear make up and go out into the world every single day.  All the dust, dirt and make up residue have to be removed at the end of the day so they do not have the chance to clog your pores and cause eventual skin problems.

2)      Exfoliate. To exfoliate is to further the cleansing process to include dead skin cells and deep-seated dirt that have taken up permanent residence on your face and have caused it to lose its suppleness and clarity. Exfoliants can be scrubs or facial masks.

3)      Freshen. To complete the cleansing of your skin, the last step would be to freshen or tone. This finally takes out the stubborn dirt that have gotten through despite meticulous cleansing and exfoliating. This also helps in refining your pores.

4)      Moisturize.  This is a crucial process as this will help bring back the moisture on your skin that was lost due to successive steps of cleansing. This step will also prevent the drying up of your skin that is the main cause of wrinkles.

5)      Protect. All the above-mentioned steps will not matter so much if you do not protect your skin the minute you step out of your door and you expose your skin to all the air pollutants. One may use a dependable non-comedogenic liquid foundation as a protective shield for your skin. As they say, it is better to prevent than to cure skin illnesses.

If you follow these simple steps, you can look forward to years of great-looking skin!