In this long-awaited follow-up to their seminal Conscious Loving, Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks take on two of the most pressing problems that sap vitality and energy from our committed how to forge a closer relationship that still allows each partner full creative autonomy, and how to generate the passion and preserve the harmony essential to keeping long-term partnerships alive and blooming. Lasting Love grew out of the Hendricks' laboratory of their 23-year marriage as well as their 10-year study of more than 2,000 long-term, committed couples. They discovered that the most common couples conflicts could be traced to at least one of five root * An imbalance between the creative energy each partner contributes to the relationship * A lack of emotional honesty * An unwillingness to accept responsibility for everyday issues * Deep-seated commitment problems * A deficiency of daily appreciations Using these insights as a starting point, the Hendricks devised a program based on five vital actions that simultaneously lead to a deeper flow of intimacy between partners and greater creative freedom for each * Spend time expressing your own creativity rather than focusing on "fixing" your partner * Eliminate the barrier to speaking and hearing the truth about everything * Break the cycle of blame and criticism * Make commitments you can really stand by * Become a master of verbal and nonverbal appreciation Filled with helpful real-life scenarios and straightforward advice, Lasting Love is an essential guide for anyone involved in a long-term relationship who wants it not only to last but to flourish.