Live Bold and Bloom

Looking To Make New Friends? 17 Top Apps To Find Your New Besties

Making friends as an adult is tough—especially if you’ve spent much of the past couple of years limiting yourself to internet-based interactions.

It can be isolating.

That said, whether you’re itching to get out and meet new friends at a local coffee shop or you just want more like-minded friends to socialize with online, the apps in this post can help you make lasting connections.

We’ve found 17 of the best apps for making friends, whatever your age and personality.

Which one will you try first?

Is Sex The Only Way To Be Intimate With Your Partner? 17 Non-Sexual Intimacy Ideas You Should Know

by Barrie Davenport

Way back in 1986, R&B sensation Jermaine Stewart told the world that “we don't have to take our clothes off, to have a good time, oh no.”

Instead, he urged everyone to “dance and party, all night, and drink some cherry wine, a-ha.”

We agree with Jermaine that intimacy can take several shapes, not all of which are sexual.

Although non-sexual intimacy may lead to sex, it doesn’t always have to.

These emotionally-driven activities can simply be ways to bring you closer together.

So today, we're talking about non-sexual acts of intimacy in which couples can engage.

Words Of Affirmation Love Language: 65 Statements To Show Your Love With Affirming Words

by Barrie Davenport

happy multi ethnic couple words of affirmation love language

Did you know that about 90 percent of couples don’t speak the same language?

It’s true!

But we’re not referring to national tongues; instead, we’re talking about “love languages,” a proven romantic framework that helps people better navigate relationships.

The good news is that love languages are easy to learn, and couples that make an effort report significant communication gains.

So today, we’re exploring the whos, whats, and whys of love languages and handing out 65 love language affirmations for your communications quiver.

Hopefully, by the end of this post, you’ll use these ideas and examples to love someone with words of affirmation.

61 Devastating Signs Of Emotional Abuse In A Relationship

by Barrie Davenport

unhappy couple, signs of emotional abuse

Do you know the signs of emotional abuse in relationships from a spouse or romantic partner?

If not, you need to take an emotional abuse test or review the emotional abuse checklist below to see if you may be in this destructive type of relationship.

Nothing is more damaging to your confidence and self-esteem than being in an emotionally abusive relationship.

Unlike physical abuse, which rears its ugly head in dramatic outbursts, emotional abuse in a relationship can be more insidious and elusive.

In some cases, neither the emotional abuser nor the victim is fully aware that the abuse is happening.

The commonly assumed scenario for emotional abuse in an intimate relationship is one in which the man is an emotional abuser and the woman is the victim.

However, a variety of studies show that men and women abuse each other at equal rates.

In fact, mental abuse signs can be evident in any relationship — between parent and child, in friendships, with relatives, and at work.