Relationships are sometimes hard to initiate, and can be even harder to maintain. According to Levinger's (1980) ABCDE model of Love, there are five stages to a relationship; Attraction, Building, Continuation, Deterioration, and Ending. Most people are aware of, and competent during the attraction stage. It is easy to get attention, but maintaining it through sincerity is another issue. During the atrraction stage, some 'pick up' lines can be seen as very forward. For instance, if one person approached another and said “You’re very attractive” when you had never met him or her before, it may make make one feel quite uncomfortable. However, a bubbly "hi!" and a smile would be a good way to start a conversation. Overall, most men feel differently than women about such a direct or aggressive pick up line, and do not feel so intimidated by this type of approach.The building stage is a crucial area, because there will be some things people learn about each other that may be seen as undesirable.. Things from the past may surface which do not necessarily have a bearing on that relationship, but could cause problems. People who are likeminded and who have similar personalities would not have too much trouble with past occurrences, although one would suspect we all have some skeleton in the closet that we would like to keep there; at least at this second level of the relationship.Continuation is a point where things can go awry quite easily. It would be here that boredom sets in, and the need to remember things like birthdays and anniversaries would indeed, be most important to the self-esteem of both parties. Continuation is something that all couples should be mindful of; it can be hard work. Situations can arise where one party or the other senses some 'staleness' in the relationship, and adding some variety to their personal lives can help to demonstrate that the relationship is healthy. Trust is the main concern at this stage, when self-confidence can be low. A busy lifestyle, kids, and work can all become overwhelming. A sense of being trusted can overcome any jealousy issues which may arise at this point, which could also be due to a mid life crisis.Deterioration can set in without warning! The relationship could stale because both parties take the other for granted. This is not a good stage, and one would assume that this is where trivial arguments could turn to more aggressive moods or threats of divorce, because one or both parties are feeling frustrated. This is where real evaluation is needed as to whether the relationship continues or does not. This could be the beginning of the end if full attention is not given to the needs of each other. Communication is paramount at this stage, and given the fact that men are often not as good as women with communication skills, it is possible that a mountain can indeed, be made out of a mole hill!Ending a relationship can be a nightmare for some people. Not all people are committed enough, or willing to put effort into the relationship to prevent its collapse. Unfortunately, a lack of communication in the previous stage may have let some couples drift so far apart already, that preventing such a collapse is no longer possible. Some would not have the desire to keep it together, or one party may be more interested in keeping the partnership together than the other. It is interesting to note, that research conducted by a large southern university has shown that 6 of 7 young couples discussed the end of their relationship amicably rather than becoming hostile about it. (Knoxet al., 1998). Perhaps times are changing and men are more in tune with being good communicators than they were years ago. In any case, all five steps require one's fullest attention and the consisistent effort of both parties if a successful relationship is to be built and maintained in a healthy manner.Reference Nevid, J.S., & Rathus, S.A. (2005). Psychology and the challenges of life: Adjustment in the new millennium (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.