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The Healthy Relationship Dating Program If you want to stay physically healthy there are certain things like diet and exercise which greatly improve your chances of enjoying good health. The same is true if you want to keep your relationship healthy. The health of your relationship depends in large part on what you do to take care of it. Dr. John Gottman has found couples who are able to maintain a ratio of five positives interactions to every negative interaction are able to form and sustain healthy relationships. Dating is a great way to increase the number of positive interactions in your relationship. A few years ago David and Claudia Arp developed a program called 10 Great Dates that combined going on dates with learning basic skills and information to help a couple form and sustain a healthy relationship. You can buy their 10 Great Dates book by clicking here or you can order their program on DVD for $39.99 by calling 866 818 5530. The healthy relationship dating program is built on David and Claudia's idea and has been designed to help you sustain a healthy relationship and have fun while you are doing it. There are two components to this dating program. The first is the dating activity itself. Ideally the activity should be something you both enjoy. However it is also good to sometimes get out of your comfort zone and do something your spouse/partner/date likes that you may not care for. The second component is to do a short activity while you are on your date to strengthen your relationship. As with any health program the most critical factor for success is not learning about the program but actually doing it. Before you start this dating program both of you need to committ to going on at least one date a week. If possible set the same time and day each week to go on your date. Ground rules for the healthy relationship dating program. 1. NO FIGHTING It is critical that you commit to making your dates a conflict free time zone. The reason why you are going on the date is to strengthen your relationship and fighting will only damage it. As soon as you feel a conflict coming on take a time out, commit to discussing the issue at a specific time in the future and immediatly start a trip down memory lane by sharing some of your favorite memories you have had together. 2. No talking about problems. There is plenty of time in the week to discuss problems. While you are on a date should never be one of those times. Dating is a time for having fun and strengthening your relationship. 3. HAVE FUN Get out of your comfort zone so you can create memories that will last a life time. Click one of the following categories to read over 200 ideas of fun dates you can go on: Fun Dates You Can Go On Anywhere Stay at Home Dates If you would like a weekly reminder to go on a date, suggestion of a fun date to go on, and money saving coupons to restaurants, movie theatres and other fun activities in your area than sign up for the free weekly date reminder service by sending an email to fundates@healthymarriage.org Type Subscribe in the subject line and include your zip code in the body of the email. Our policy is we will never rent, sell, or give away your email address. Please send in your ideas for fun dates so we can add them to the website and share them with the Healthy Relationship Dating e-list.. Our goal is to eventually have over 1000 dates that you can choose from. Send in your ideas to info@healthymarriage.org