
As far as sharing
relationship histories with each other, I tend to believe that some things are better left unsaid. But just because you're not saying it, doesn't mean you're not thinking it. Considering your past relationships in contrast to your current situation can actually help to illuminate the good things you have now or the ways you've changed.

Dear Sugar,
I have been in a relationship for about seven years, and we've lived together for nearly four. I have been trying to talk to my partner about getting married, but he just doesn't want to go that route. We each have our own children from previous relationships, as well as two that are ours together.

Dear Sugar,
My boyfriend is about to own a bar, but we have different views about what that entails. He thinks it's just a place to hang out and de-stress, and he is spending a lot of time trying to plan events. I think owning a bar is providing people with alcohol and taking their money without giving them something good in return.

I value my friends' opinions very much, and I
often turn to them when I’m feeling down. But no matter how much I respect them as individuals, I have always tried to avoid the habit of comparing my love life to theirs. Not only do I not want admiration to lead to jealousy, but I also don’t want to find myself feeling smug about an issue they're dealing with.