7 Signs Your Relationship Might Not Be As Healthy As You Think

1. Questions To Ask If You're In The 'Honeymoon' Stage

Whenever we finally move from flirting with our crushes to being in a relationship with them, it's typically followed by a period of euphoria. You and your boyfriend likely can't get enough of each other right now which is probably making your friends playfully roll their eyes. Since everything is brand new, you can still keep it light though.

O'Neill suggests asking "open-ending questions that prompt curiosity and connection:"

• What's one dream you've never let me in on?
• What's one little gesture that can make you feel valued?

"These couple of queries facilitate bonding while generating enthusiasm for the goals and interests of each other," he says.

2. Questions To Ask After Your First Big Fight

Even if you and your boyfriend are super tuned in to each other, a disagreement or argument is bound to happen. In case you're worried, your relationship isn't on thin ice because you're not seeing eye-to-eye on something. O'Neill says you can ask:

• How do you think we handled the argument?
• What could we do differently next time to make our future fights more productive?

His reasoning is that these questions "promote growth and empathy" so "disagreements are transformed into stronger communication opportunities."

Note: Disagreements should never turn physical. It's not okay for you and your boyfriend to become physically aggressive with each other. If you're concerned about domestic violence, dial the National Domestic Hotline at 1(800) 799-7233.

3. Questions To Ask Before Introducing Your Boyfriend To Your Parents

Introducing your boyfriend to your parents is a huge step that can be scary and exciting. I was terrified when my parents first met my fiancé because they couldn't stand my ex. But, the conversation between them flowed and everyone always looks for him to be at family events.

If you're ready for introductions to be made, O'Neill wants you to "encourage the normality of preplanned talks" by asking:

• What is something about me that you think my parents would really love to hear about?

By doing this, he says it'll "help alleviate anxiety and ensure both spouses feel comfortable and attuned before meeting the parents."

4. Questions To Ask If You Or Your Boyfriend Have An Illness

It's never easy to experience illnesses or health scares, but it can be terrifying if you don't know how to help your partner manage if something unexpected happens. O'Neill says to "nurture insights with queries such as:"

• What is one thing I could to assist you better when ill?
• Are there any aspects concerning your healthy that haven't been discussed which make you anxious?

"The conversations provide a safe space for airing concerns while building up mutual support through health difficulties," he adds.

5. Questions To Ask If You're Worried About Boyfriend's Spending Habits

Financial red flags are always a cause for concern when dating someone — especially when it seems like your boyfriend doesn't care about his spending habits may affect your household if you live together. O'Neill suggests asking:

• What are your financial goals?
• How do you see us working towards them together?
• How do you feel about budgeting as a team?

This will "make goal alignment stronger" because "effective communication about finances can prevent misunderstandings," he says. Also, this helps "lay the foundation for a shared vision of the future."

6. Questions To Ask To Deepen Vulnerability With Each Other

Being vulnerable isn't easy for everyone, let alone two people in a relationship. It took me years to feel comfortable expressing my sadness or fears to my fiancé because I was afraid he'd think I was 'weak.' However, this can cause more harm than good because it becomes difficult for our partners to know what's going on with us if we don't open up.

O'Neill says you can ask:

• What's one fear or concern you've hesitated to share with anyone before?
• How can I help you feel safe sharing with me?

7. Questions To Help Move The Relationship Forward

If you're still wondering "what are we doing" after asking some of the above questions, you focus on asking the following "future-oriented questions," according to O'Neill:

• Where do you see us in 5 years?
• What's something you envision us doing together as a couple in the future?

Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck have settled their divorce with no prenup.

In addition to confirming the settlement, TMZ reports that both Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck will take what they earned individually throughout the time they were married — and neither will pay spousal support. Ben will also keep his stake in Artists Equity, the production company he created in 2022 with Matt Damon.

Divorce rumors first started swirling in May of 2024, when a source told InTouch Weekly that there was trouble in paradise. "The writing is on the wall – it’s over," the source says before adding, "They’re headed for a divorce – and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!" Even though Ben and Jennifer love each other, the source believes they're just too different.

In June, the couple listed their home for sale(for $65 million), which only added to the rumor mill. And by the time August rolled around, TMZ reported that Jennifer Lopez had filed for divorce from Ben Affleck with no prenup. "The fairy tale she was promised turned out to be a nightmare in the end," a source told People. "She's in a really good place and just wants to close the door on this crazy chapter."

Jennifer Lopez also says she doesn't regret "one second."

In an conversation for Interview Magazine, comedian Nikki Glaser (who you'll recognize from her recent stint as this year's Golden Globes host) asked if she regretted any of the difficulties she experienced, and Jennifer Lopez responded with, "not one second." The 55-year-old also notes that growth is "a lifelong process."

"I think that’s what I love about life, that there’s no arrival point. There’s only getting better and growing if you want to," Jennifer continues. "It’s either growing or dying, and I don’t want to do the dying part. And yeah, there’s times when I thought I figured it out, and then life goes, 'Let’s send you another thing and see if you fall for it. Let’s see if you really have learned that lesson.' And I hadn’t."

But Jennifer Lopez adds that she'll only use those lessons to grow even more in the future. "I understand that now in a much deeper way, which doesn’t mean that I won’t make mistakes in the future, but again, when your whole house blows up, you’re standing there in the rubble going, 'How do I not ever let that happen again?' And then you start examining it little by little saying, 'Okay, I did this, this was my part in it, this was what I should have seen early on, this is what I didn’t look at.' Those things are what really are the lessons."

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

Penn should be excited about advancing her education at the University of Edinburgh, but she can't stop thinking about the secret her parents have been keeping from her. For some reason, she believes she'll uncover it while she's in Scotland because Lord Lennox — her father's friend — is in the area.

Her hunger for the truth leads her to Lord Lennox's estate where she she starts mingling with his family and even discovers love in this moving novel.

Jenna Bush Hager's Thoughts About The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus