The Rules Handbook: A Guide to Creating Loving and Lasting Relationships

“If you want to get good at The Rules, you’re going to have to live and breathe them.”

A relatively easy task with a guide as helpful as this one. The Rules Handbook by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider delves into each and every complex relationship one can find themselves in, from the blossoming buds of a new relationship to a decades-long marriage. All of our situations may feel unique and slightly scary to manage on our own, but there exists a set of rules to help us out along the way which Fein and Schneider successfully layout on the table for us. Reading a book for advice may feel uncomfortable at first, I know. However, these two wonderful women do not feel like just the writers of this book, they feel like a best friend holding your hand through the relationship-storm. Relinquish yourself and let your troubles dissipate with the words and affirmations you have needed all along.
The terms used to describe the rules are “ageless and timeless,” perfectly encapsulating the profound impact of this handbook as well. This guide situates itself in the modern age where we as a society must now deal with the battlefield of new, emerging technologies in our everyday relationships. We already have so much on our plate with in-person communication, but now we have to deal with DM’s too? Yet, the rules from decades ago can still easily be applied to the now, transcending time itself. That is how powerful they truly are. One of the true beauties of this handbook is its belief in individual change. We may hold on to the perception that we are fixed humans and stick with the beliefs that no longer serve us. This book never lets you forget though that there is always room for self-improvement, growth, and the endless possibility of reaching our full potential on a daily basis.
You may be thinking, well, what if I still get rejected while following all these rules? Guess what? The handbook has this subject covered too. The guide does not rule out the possibility of things not working out despite our better efforts. What it does flawlessly is help us flip our perspective on what rejection truly means. Do not look at rejection from someone as a fault within ourselves when we can see it for what it really is: a protection against what was not meant for us. When we flip the negative way we think, we are better off for it.
There is strength in seeking out guidance and direction. What better way to begin than with Fein and Schneider? Take the steps towards a new way of life and watch how you begin to see the world much brighter than before.