Relationships developed through a number of
stages. Presented here is a comprehensive generic model, based on a wide review of other
models. Note that it focuses on growth of the
relationship and does not include subsequent
breakdown stages. Also note that these stages are not all sequential. Phases 3 to 5 in particular are likely to have some overlap. The duration of each phase may vary significantly, from moment to years, based on opportunity and motivation of the parties.

Phase 1: Before meeting
Before the people in a relationship ever meet,
there are a number of activities that may happen, leading up to the first meeting. If the meeting is by chance (or design of others) then this stage is effectively skipped.
Knowing about them
The first step is to know that they exist. One person usually knows first and the second
person may not know until the first meeting.
Knowing about them may happen in various ways, for example a man may see a woman in a bar or a sales person hears of a possible customer from a colleague.
Learning about them
More information is often needed to motivate a
desire for contact. This may be done by first- hand research, where the person actively looks
for information by the other party. If there is a third person helping out, they may volunteer
information, for example where a friend is 'match-making' or a company researches prospects for a salesperson.
Wanting to meet
With enough information, the motivation for a
relationship begins. This can range from a
cautious interest to early strong desire, such as
when a woman sees a man she does not know
at a party and is immediately attracted to him.
Seeking contact
With the motivation to meet, the next (and
sometimes difficult) step is figuring out how to
get to meet them. This may be through friends
who will enquire if the other person is interested (and help them through this phase).
In sales, cold calling is a difficult and often unrewarding activity and other methods of
prospecting may also be used to connect with
possible customers.
Phase 2: Getting to know you
In this phase, contact is made with the other
person and early negotiations lead either to
departure or continuation of the relationship.
First contact
First contact with the other person is an
important and difficult stage as early
impressions are important although this is easy
to get wrong. When we meet others we seek to
classify them, typically using global or personal
stereotypes which are often inadequate for the
decisions made at this time.
Typically, greeting between strangers is highly
formalized, with handshakes, exchange of
names and simple pleasantries such as
discussing the weather, local sports or other
safe topics.
Basic exchange
Possibly within the first contact and possibly in
subsequent meetings there is an exchange of
information which allows each person to refine
their impression of the other person and decide
whether they want to continue with the
relationship.
Exchange at this level typically includes a
seeking of common factors such as origins,
hobbies, families, friends, work and so on.
There is also information exchange which helps
with the next stage of deciding where to take the
relationship. A typical question to help this is
'What do you do?', which effectively translates
as 'how could you help me'.
Deciding desired relationship
From the information gained so far, the
possibilities for the nature of an ongoing
relationship should be clear, whether it is one
of friendship, convenience, exchange or
romance.
Acquaintance
If the relationship is not going to get any closer,
then its development stops here. This is quite
common and most people have many
acquaintances with relatively few good friends.
The state of acquaintance is a safe position
whereby there is no obligation between the two
people and it is easy to refuse any request.
Interaction is functional with a clear and simple
request/response structure.
Phase 3: Getting close
When both parties want to develop the
relationship further, then there is more activity
to get to a stronger closeness.
Seeking more contact
Getting closer means spending more time with
the other person. This starts with proposals and
continues with 'dates' in which pre-planned
activities are jointly carried out.
Revealing secrets
A common part of developing intimacy is in
revealing things about yourself that you would
not easily tell others. This says 'I trust you' and
encourages a reciprocal exposure of
vulnerabilities.
Dancing to and fro
Coming together is seldom a single movement
and often appears as a dance with one
approaching, the other retreating then moving
back in and so forth. This tests the
determination and commitment of the other
person in seeking a lasting relationship.
Intensifying the relationship
As the people get closer, the things that they do
together show increasing commitment and
sharing. The speed and depth of this stage will
vary greatly with the relationship.
Romantically, this goes from touching to
kissing to petting and intercourse. In sales it
would include courting the customer, serious
consideration of products and final sales. After
sales the relationship may well continue with
ongoing support and loyalty into referrals and
future sales.
Phase 4: Stabilizing
Even when the relationship seems to have
reached its peak, there is more work to do to
create a stable, longer-term relationship.
Honeymoon
After first getting together there is often a
'honeymoon' period when everything goes
wonderfully well and each person cannot
imagine not being in the relationship.
In studies of romantic relationships, it has been
show that can last up to two years. However, in
the end, reality bites, the wings dissolve and the
parties either find a working 'normal'
relationship or otherwise drift apart.
Storming
After having a close relationship with someone
for a while, those endearing little affections can
turn into annoying habits as the little things that
you once forgave become major irritations.
The relationship may also become rather one-
sided as one person does much more of the
running and the other sits back and lets it
happen. Again, for the person putting in the
effort this can be rather annoying.
The relationship can consequently turn from
being relatively harmonious to being marked
with regular disagreement and acrimonious
argument.
This is another stage at which the relationship
may break up if the challenge to ongoing
stability is not met.
Sometimes relationships can remain in the
storming stage for a long period, resulting in a
long journey along a very rocky road which
bumps and grinds and wears everyone down.
Stabilizing
If there is still sufficient commitment for the
relationship to continue, differences need to be
resolved or at least moved to an acceptably
workable footing.
If storming has been particularly acrimonious
then the partners may have hurt one another
deeply. This may require deliberate
reconciliation with support from a third party
mediator or counselor of some sort.
Acceptance, understanding and heartfelt
apology are common in this stage, as is
constructive dialog that works towards an
effective long-term relationship in which neither
is overly dominant and where each puts effort
into meeting the needs of the other.
Phase 5: Developing Commitments
Alongside and within the previous two phases
commitments may be made to the relationship
and to one another.
Internal commitment
Along the way and at particular times, the
individual person mulls over the relationship
and its importance and makes personal
decisions to commit time and effort to making
the relationship work.
Trust is an important driver of this - if I do not
trust you, then I would put myself at risk if I
made commitments.
Demonstrating commitment
When a commitment is demonstrated to the
other person, it encourages them to also show
their commitment in return and so deepen the
relationship. Demonstration of commitment
includes such as: Giving one's time to the other
Keeping appointments (and arriving on
time)
Talking up the partner in conversations
with other people
Providing emotional support in times
of distress
Giving gifts and otherwise transferring
resources to the other
Socializing
Demonstrating commitment also sends a message to other people that this is an important relationship. When we make something public, it becomes harder to go back on the commitment.
Formalizing the commitment
There are a number of ways in which a
commitment may be formalized, and so making
it harder for either party to renege on the agreement. In a commercial situation, contracts
are commonly used. In romantic relationships,
commitments include moving in together, fetting married and having children.
So what?
Understand these stages and see if they make
sense in your own relationships. Where it works for you, facilitate the relationship forward to the point where you want it go go.

wow, nice epistle
except relationships are no maths

This is serious o...too long,i didnt read it,SORRY

I just read ur epistle and its a good one... Love shouldn't be rushed.. It takes a gradual process for two to fall in love wit eachoda.. To know their strengths and weaknesses and to be passionate abt themselves...

Stage 4 can be so frustrating especially wen it becomes one sided...Not easy to overcome nd most breakups occur @dis stage