Developing a healthy, supportive, loving relationship can be a battle, but this battle is one that is never too late to start. The willingness to start working towards a new or existing relationship is the first step to the success of any relationship.

Those of us who have experience hardship, trauma and sometimes what feels like endless emotional pain, may be reluctant or scared to regain the willingness to begin the journey again, however, when in a healthy relationship the positives most certainly outweigh the negatives.

Empirical evidence shows us that, those in good relationships have a better immune system, are more likely to be physically healthy.

There are many stages a relationship transitions through.

• The "honeymoon" period ...

• This period is when nothing else matters, the couple idealises one another and they can't spend enough time with each other. This period also includes the ignorance of the two people to the differences between each other. The "honey moon period" can end as quickly as it began, or can last for years, but eventually like all relationships the couple transitions into the next period.

• Being more observant ...

• This period being on the realisation that the couple do differ from one another and their idealisation changes to a more realistic view of the other person. This period brings forward more arguments and the whether the relationship survives is indicative of whether the couple bond in the initial stage can withstand these realisations.

• Independence ...

• This period involves the two parties in the relationship establishing their independence from one another and the evolution of their own lifestyle. Couples are aware the relationship is still present but no longer require as much energy from one another as in the past. Although the parties are busy with the external environment, they are still aware that the other party is available when needed

• I choose to be with you ...

• Once the independence has evolved the couples generally tend to float back towards another, resulting in greater intimacy and deepening of the relationship. Due to the independence in the pervious period, there is a harmonising between the term "I" and "us".