I've never had a relationship last more than a few months, so I'm sure you're wondering how I can give anyone any kind of advice. If my life has been any indicator, I'm an expert at failed relationships. A warning about the language below. Thinking about some my past relationships makes me swear like an Iraqi that has learned English from the Marines at OP Horea.
Every failed relationship you've ever been in has one common element - YOU! AKA the George Costanza Law (It's not them, it's you). Time to do some introspection. What did you do in your past relationships? Be honest with yourself. Take a full account of your relationships and find out what your flaws are. Did you smother them? Were you too aloof? Can't hold onto a job? Nail his/her hotter sibling/best friend/parent/cousin/dog? Once you have that figured out, then you are ready to move onto the next step. I know what you're thinking, "I have to change." Bullshit, you're perfectly fucked up the way you are. What you need to do is lower your standards/find someone desperate/patient enough to deal with your crazy ass. Trying to change yourself is difficult and you need to get laid now! Throw out all hope of finding Mr./Mrs. Right. They're boring anyways, and you'll just end up cheating on them.
You're incapable of picking the right partner. AKA get a consultant. If this wasn't true, then you'd be in a nice, stable, nurturing relationship. If you're like most people, then you tend to pick the same person over and over. Mine are short, voluptuous brunettes with a good girl quality before being ruined by some prick and turned into a complete whore with trust issues and a mentality akin to a mass murderer. Despite my best efforts, my penis drops the crazies on the top of my "To do" list, while my brain rejects more reasonable women for various things like: dated one of my friends, feet are too big, has an ugly mom, wants a real relationship, asks me to call them occasionally, work for a foreign intelligence agency, and because they didn't agree that Queen was one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
What to do? Get an outside perspective. Co-workers aren't a good choice for matchmakers because they want a good story for the water coolers. Additionally, your friends are idiots (they hang out with you), so they're no good. Your friends spouses are even worse because all they're looking for is someone for them to hang out with. You need someone that doesn't know how disturbed you really are, but still has a vested interest in you being in a stable relationship. The significant others of your friends are perfect. They want a good relationship with your friend, and don't want you to be a bad influence on them, taking them to Vegas for a weekend of gambling, blow and hookers, or calling them in the middle of the night for bail money. They're not likely going to set you up with a friend you'd cheat on and ruin their weekend shopping trips/poker night, etc.
Never date anyone that profits from other people's misery. Obviously I'm talking about lawyers, but there are so many other professions like politicians etc. They all have the same narcissistic and selfish attitude. They could care less if you are content in the relationship, think their indiscretions are forgiven because they are saving the planet, and if you end things, they have the skills and connections to make you pay THEM. These people are inhuman and seek to dominate. As much as we want them to collectively fuck themselves, it is both physically and mentally impossible for them. They can only fuck others. They'd like to be able to fuck themselves and eliminate any need for your pitiful ass, but God's great wisdom made them incapable of asexual reproduction. If He didn't, we'd be overrun by soulless freaks in 3 piece suits, silk ties, and wingtip loafers.
Never date anyone like you. If you're with someone exactly like you, how is that any different than masturbation? Sure it gets the job done, but it gets boring after a while and what you really need is a piece of strange. I know some "experts" will probably talk about having common ground, etc. etc. Sure that's partially true, but you want some differences. Differences breeds conflict, which begets excitement. Unless you're bipolar or extremely self-loathing, dating someone like you won't bring about the excitement needed to sustain a relationship past a few months. Conversely, dating someone completely different from you leads to constant conflict. Sure it can lead to great sex, but eventually, if you're lucky, you wake up before your balls are cut off.
Be mindful of the Crazy/Hot Scale. Barney Stinson explained this in such great detail that it bears no further discussion. However, I'm kind of a narcissist myself, so I can't help but interject. I told one of my boys about the Crazy/Hot Scale when he was dating a chick that "wasn't crazy at all." I told him that all women are crazy. I explained the Crazy/Hot Scale but also told him that the hot scale ends at 10, but the crazy has no end. For the record, guys don't go on the Crazy/Hot Scale because for the large part, we're not crazy. The question is ladies, how much of a dick can your man be before he's not worth it?
Make time for yourself and your friends. No matter how cool your woman/man seems, you need some "you" time. The best part of being together is all of the time you spend away from each other. That's how people dealt with marriage before the times of easy divorce. Don't criticize your significant other because they would much rather hang out with their friends drinking beer, playing video games, etc. Ladies, it's not a reflection on you. Guys require a group of other guys to talk shit to and boast of their accomplishments. If it makes you feel any better, consider it a support group. Sure his friends are bad influences, but that shouldn't worry you. Go out and have your own fun. If the guy gets jealous, it's because he cares - and your friends are a bunch of whores. He'll get the point.
Love is not required. We can't help who we fall in love with. Why? Because love is the most vile form of insanity. Love is unreasonable. Love is destructive. And if it's expressed in tattoo form, love is about three more days. Countries with arranged marriage have lower divorce rates because no love is required. You enter in knowing next to nothing about the other, are forced to compromise and live together, and end up generally more content. Why? Because the husband and wife know that sticking together will keep their respective families from chopping their heads off if they were allowed to divorce.
Know your time limit. The former love of my life didn't learn this lesson with one of her former boyfriends because he said he was going to commit. Ladies, guys will say whatever is needed to get into your pants. Some guys take #7 to heart, and only want an automatic dishwasher, laundromat, and personal chef. If you see a relationship not going anywhere, don't be afraid to end it. Don't hope he'll change his mind in the future. As they say in the military, "Hope is not a Course of Action." You can't see what's in front of you if you're gazing at the stars. What I mean by that is that there are probably 50 other guys around that would like to nail you. Don't deny us a piece, I mean deny yourself, if you're with an asshole. When it's done, it's done. On a personal note, if the guy ends it ladies, don't refuse to break up and damage several locks to sneak back into bed with him. Stalking is not cool. Guys, the same advice applies to you. If you think your woman will quit being whorish if you commit, you're sadly mistaken. That's usually a sign that says "I want to enjoy every guy this side of the Mississippi before my body goes to shit. Leave it be. There's plenty of fish in the sea, and it's being restocked with newer and hotter fish every day.
All problems become magnified the more serious the relationship gets. If something is a minor annoyance now, it will become a huge problem later. Think of your last relationship. Remember that annoying thing they did all the time? Remember when you thought it was cute? What about your current relationship? What annoying habit does he/she have? Imagine it now if you traded keys. Moved in together. Got engaged. Got married. Had kids. Get my point?
Finally, be bold, be daring, don't fret over mistakes. If you make mistakes, you can learn; therefore, grow and develop. However, if everything is perfect, when you do make a mistake, then that can end a relationship you've spent a long time building. Time works against us all, so we can't go wasting it by having it end because you bought a TV for the bathroom so you don't have to miss the game or the commercials during the Super Bowl. Fuck up early, and call your significant other on their fuck ups. Get it out the way and don't hold a grudge. Or, if you're more crafty and devious, don't call them on their mistakes until you need an out for one of yours. Or in other words, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. It's such good advice that it's spouted out at church.