What do you look for in a potential husband or wife?

            Have you ever wished you could change just one little thing about that someone you're crazy about? Have you wondered why, with almost everything you two had in common you and your lover had still broken up? So what is it that we need to look for to encourage a successful future with someone?

            Perhaps you need to ask yourself a few questions to determine whether he or she is worthy enough to accompany you down the aisle. There are five basic areas that you need to take a good look at before any relationship can progress successfully. These areas are: emotional, sexual, intellectual, financial, and spiritual.

            Emotional: The emotional aspect of a person's makeup includes their psychological characteristics, emotional styles and expressions, How they look at the world, self-esteem, confidence, intimacy, ability to share, commit, what their weaknesses are, their strengths, do they respect themselves and others, etc., etc., etc.

            Sexual: Sexuality can mean different things. For some, it means the physical act itself, maybe something wild. For others, romance and expression play an important part. A few traits to keep in mind might be your partner's level of interest, romance, attraction, love, variations, response, monogamy, communication, risk taking, playfulness and physical appearance.

            Intellectual: What does your partner think about the world he or she lives in, how do they interact on a daily basis? Are they casual or do they thrive on being a type A personality? A person's intellectual abilities include self-expression, educational level, sense of humor, goals, talents, hobbies, conversational and learning skills, interests and speed of thought.

            Financial: How one handles money can reveal much about a person and can make the difference between a comfortable life and a life of struggle so it's important to be compatible in this area. Pay attention to spending style, lifestyle, goals, retirement, savings and general ideas about money and debt.

            Spiritual: Spiritually doesn't necessarily refer to religious orientation but rather a basic belief system about life in general, a sense of self, a reason for living. It includes beliefs about ethics, the importance of religion, purpose of life, optimism, acceptance of others, integrity, honesty, responsibility and social values.

Using These Areas to Make a Match

            It's important to know his or her views on each of the five areas. The more areas of compatibility, the stronger the foundation of the relationship will be. People can have differences, but too many adds strain to a relationship. Observe and communicate, and hopefully, you will be able to catch differences early on, to avoid pain later.