The Rules of Love, 2nd Edition

Table of contents

1. Cover Page
2. The Rules of Love
3. Contents
4. Dedication
5. Introduction
6. Rules for finding love
   1. 1 Be yourself
   2. 2 Get over it before you get on with it
   3. 3 You won’t be happy with a partner until you can be happy on your own
   4. 4 You’ll know them when you meet them
   5. 5 Choose someone who makes you laugh
   6. 6 Being less than a hundred per cent attractive is a great filter
   7. 7 Don’t keep making the same mistakes
   8. 8 Certain people are off limits (you know who they are)
   9. 9 You can’t change people
   10. 10 Relationships aren’t about sex
   11. 11 Get to know someone through all the seasons before making any major decisions
   12. 12 Don’t stay with someone who doesn’t care
   13. 13 If you can’t trust them, you haven’t got a relationship
   14. 14 Be honest (while you still have the chance)
   15. 15 Don’t play games
   16. 16 Don’t tar new partners with old brushes
   17. 17 Check you both have the same shared goals
   18. 18 You can’t make someone love you
   19. 19 Be cruel to be kind
7. Relationship Rules
   1. 20 Be nice
   2. 21 Be together because you want to, not because you need to
   3. 22 Allow your partner the space to be themselves
   4. 23 Look to your own faults
   5. 24 Be honourable
   6. 25 Put each other first
   7. 26 Recognize the signs
   8. 27 Be a hero – or a heroine
   9. 28 Accept the differences, embrace what you have in common
   10. 29 Don’t belittle your partner
   11. 30 You want to do what?
   12. 31 Let not the sun go down upon your wrath
   13. 32 Be the first to say sorry
   14. 33 Let them have the last word
   15. 34 Houston, we have a problem
   16. 35 Don’t put them on a pedestal and expect them to stay there
   17. 36 Know when to listen and when to act
   18. 37 Never stop trying to be attractive
   19. 38 If you can say something nice, do
   20. 39 Don’t try to be their parent
   21. 40 Be part of their life
   22. 41 If little things annoy you, say so – with humour
   23. 42 Go that extra step in trying to please them
   24. 43 Make sure your partner is always pleased to see you
   25. 44 Don’t dump responsibility on your partner
   26. 45 Let them know if you don’t like their friends
   27. 46 Jealousy is your stuff, not theirs
   28. 47 Your partner is more important than your kids
   29. 48 Make time for romance
   30. 49 Have a passion for your life together
   31. 50 Share the workload
   32. 51 Trust the other one to do the job
   33. 52 Don’t be a nag
   34. 53 Make sure your love making is making love
   35. 54 Don’t control them
   36. 55 Listen to what they’re not saying
   37. 56 Most everyday arguments are about something else
   38. 57 Respect privacy
   39. 58 Treat your partner better than your best friend
   40. 59 Don’t be offended if they want some space
   41. 60 Men like flowers too
   42. 61 Keep your finances separate
   43. 62 Contentment is a high aim
   44. 63 Be generous to each other financially
   45. 64 You make a choice every day
   46. 65 Don’t be a martyr
   47. 66 Stop sniping – someone has to
   48. 67 You don’t both have to have the same rules
   49. 68 Do it their way if it matters more to them
   50. 69 Put yourself in their shoes
   51. 70 In-laws are part of the package
   52. 71 Keep talking
8. Rules for parting
   1. 72 Listen to your own internal voice
   2. 73 Recognize that it take two
   3. 74 Keep the moral high ground
   4. 75 Don’t keep raking it over
   5. 76 Leave the kids out of it
9. Family Rules
   1. 77 Don’t blame your parents
   2. 78 Don’t let your parents control your feelings
   3. 79 Your children come before you
   4. 80 Nothing is worth falling out over
   5. 81 Treat them right, no matter how they treat you
   6. 82 There are no circumstances in which it is ever acceptable to say ‘I told you so’
   7. 83 Don’t pressurize your family just because you can
   8. 84 Never be too busy for loved ones
   9. 85 Your children need to fall out with you to leave home
   10. 86 They don’t have to be the same as you
   11. 87 There’s always stuff with siblings
   12. 88 Let go of your role
10. Friendship Rules
    1. 89 There are no rules
    2. 90 Your best friend was once a stranger
    3. 91 Only have people in your life who, on balance, make it better not worse
    4. 92 If you’re going to be a friend, be a good friend
    5. 93 Forgive
    6. 94 Never give advice
    7. 95 Don’t make other people uncomfortable
    8. 96 Find friends who love the truth
    9. 97 Never lend money unless you’re prepared to write it off
    10. 98 If you don’t like their partner, tough
    11. 99 When one finger points forwards, three point back
    12. 100 Friendships change
    13. 101 Know when to let go
    14. 102 Bitterness helps no one
11. Rules for everyone
    1. 103 People are more important than things
    2. 104 Guilt is a selfish emotion
    3. 105 Love equals time
    4. 106 The more you put out, the more you get back
    5. 107 Other people are where it’s at
12. Had Enough Yet…?
    1. You’ll get older but not necessarily wiser
    2. Get your work noticed
    3. Anybody can be wealthy – you just need to apply yourself
    4. Get them emotionally involved
    5. Relax
13. Imprint