Finding a good man to marry takes more than luck; it requires common sense. When you fall in love, your good judgment can fly out the window. I know, I was an expert at turning off my brain and going strictly by instinct when it came to men. As I explain in "It's Never too Late to Marry," it took me what seemed like forever to finally wise up and let my intelligence have a say in my romantic life.

I know why you think common sense is unromantic, I thought the same thing for years. Giving your common sense a say in your love life means you have to say good-by to some unhealthy tendencies you've developed -- without even realizing it. Some bad habits that have snuck in under your radar and are now causing you a lot of pain. But to find a good man to marry you have to face facts.

For starters, you'll have to stop the over-the-top drama you may have allowed in your relationships. This comes from picking the kind of men that make you feel crazy and out of control; men who don't live up to your expectations and yet you put up with their bad behavior.

You will end up having to say "no" more. You'll be saying "no" to bad boys, men with unhealthy addictions and unavailable men.

It doesn't sound like a lot of fun does it? But it's even harder bringing common sense into your love life if you're already involved with a man who is giving you big problems. In this case, you may fight what you know is going on (like I did when I was living with an alcoholic) and not use your better judgment until it becomes just too painful for you.

To find a good man to marry, you need to use your head as well as your heart.

If you're not in a relationship now, prepare yourself to employ your common sense. Keep in mind the qualities you want in a man and stick with them. You want a man who lies, cheats and is cruel -- just kidding! You want the exact opposite, a partner who is honest, loyal and kind.

To find a good man to marry you can't just leave it to chance. You have to use your common sense; otherwise your instinct will tell you that a not-so-good guy will do.

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