Page 360 - The Truth Landscape Format 2020 with next section introductions-compressed

Stage 2: Romantic Love

Love relationships usually begin with a strong physical and emotional attraction that produces a somewhat altered state of consciousness. Your brain is
saturated with chemicals called endorphins, creating the sensations of intense pleasure that accompany infatuation. The exhilaration and sense of well-being
are similar to feelings produced by vigorous exercise or eating something extremely pleasurable, like chocolate.

In this highly charged emotional state, you are likely to project images, expectations and ideals of the perfect mate onto your partner. These projections often
have little to do with who your partner really is, but it's hard to tell because both of you are on your best behaviour. Overwhelmed with romance and passion,
you are highly responsive to each other.

If all goes well, attraction turns into romance. Everything about them is intensified, while everything about school, family, job, exercise, and so on seems
dull in comparison. Romantic love is a psychological and spiritual experience, but to be in love is to understand that we are also products of our biology.
Much has been written in both fiction and non-fiction about falling in love, and about the chemistry of falling in love. The ebb and flow of romantic
love should not be misconstrued as a signal that you are in the wrong relationship. Romantic love is not mature love Eye gazing, obsessing, daydreaming,
and physical desire will change over time into something else. "What it ultimately changes into is up to the two of you, but as an immediate next step what
it changes into is the power struggle.

Stage 3: Power Struggle

Infatuation and romantic love eventually subside and healthy relationships go through a period of power struggles as each partner tries to shape the other into
the ideal mate. Many couples argue and fight their way through this. Some will avoid sensitive areas of conflict. If neither of you is ready to risk
confrontation, your lives are likely to become more and more separate and devoid of intimacy and sharing. Even though you avoid open conflict, by agreeing
at some level not to argue and fight, the tension and pain remain.

Some couples use guilt, blame and justification to try to control each other in an effort to recapture feelings from the earlier stages of the relationship. Both
long for that period of infatuation when being together was fresh and exciting. Remember that it’s normal to pass through romantic love and to experience
conflict. It is simply the relationship growing. Confrontation is healthy. It builds understanding and helps your relationship mature. The challenge is to
discover what can be changed in the relationship and what must be accepted.

The sooner you bring up issues when you feel hurt, taken advantage of, irritated, misunderstood, or ignored, the better for the relationship. Suppressing them
keeps you a victim and only leads to hostility and feelings of separateness.

When you and your partner have been together for say, two to three years, some of the magic has worn off, and your partner begins to annoy you. Things Page360
you hadn't noticed before begin to grate on your nerves. You love them, but you wonder where the romance went. You are aware that you're not always in