This week, on one of our favorite ABC Family shows, Switched At Birth, Bay and Tank almost take their relationship to the next level.  Things are getting hot and heavy for them but Bay wants to put the brakes on the situation. It’s not that she doesn’t like Tank or even that it’s her first time; Bay already had sex with her old boyfriend Ty.  But for some reason, she’s just not ready and doesn’t want to have sex with Tank until she’s sure of what it means to her.

I did not know exactly how difficult it was to be in an unhealthy relationship until recently when my good friend Jane* went through it. Jane was in a relationship with her boyfriend of four years. In the beginning, their relationship was great; they had good communication, trust, and respect. They were the kind of couple that rarely got into arguments and when something was wrong they would be able to talk about it without raising their voices. After being together for about a year and a half or so, things began to change and their relationship went from good to bad in the blink of an eye.

You’ve probably realized by now that relationships take work. A lot of work. Attraction often gets things going, but if that’s all the two of you have in common, your relationship will get old fast. (Even the hottest fires can only burn for so long). Whether you’ve just started dating or have been together for several months, these tips can help your relationship flourish.