For those who were head over heels...

[creamedcustard]

Years later, what does the love feel like?

I've never had a long term relationship with anyone I've been head over heels for. I've experienced the whole Hollywood thing once before but it didn't work out and am unsure if that was because it was a dysfunctional unhealthy relationship or whether we really did have true compatibility underneath the issues.

Has anyone ever made it work and is happy now long term after experiencing the heady full-blown love affair in the beginning? I guess I'm after advice on whether and what makes it possible.

A dose of reality and good communication

In the early honeymoon stage of a full blown love affair you don't see your new partners flaws (we all have them) but are too busy shagging and not paying attention.

As long as the major things work and you enjoy time together the key to moving to a successful longer term relationship is whether those flaws are so minor that they can be lived with. Anything major that emerges kills it.

The communication piece is critical as you move from an affair into a longer term partnership - knowing each others ambitions, likes, frailties is part of developing that and makes you into a team