Have you ever had that gnawing feeling that something just isn't right, but you just couldn't pinpoint it? That normally is an internal indicator that you are not headed in a direction you will be happy with long-term.

For many the decision to pay attention to that feeling comes because it can no longer be ignored - normally in the midst of a difficult period in life. Through the hurt and pain we finally start to pay attention and get back on course. Any time it comes to making a decision that could alter some aspect of life, there are many contemplative moments associated with it. And plenty of second-guessing.

Here are three ways to know if you are not on the right path:

1. You are not at peace

Peace is that deep down gut feeling that everything is all right - and you are exactly where you should be in this moment. The absence of peace is also commonly referred to as being uneasy or "something just doesn't feel right." If you are not on your right path in some area of your life, even if you currently have everything you hoped for - the car, marriage, home, children, job - peace will be absent. Peace literally serves as an umpire to say, "Yes, this is safe or no, you are veering away from your true path."

When peace is missing it's designed to force you to stop and reevaluate what is going on in your life. Literally, you cannot rest until you figure it out. You will remain in a constant state of unrest until you address all areas that affect your path - relational, emotional, physical, mental, career, and spiritual.

2. Doors keep closing right in your face

Have you ever started in a direction you thought you should go, but it seems like you can't get a break? Things repeatedly fail. This is not the same as a little adversity or a few nos. If you are not on your right path, then doors closing acts as a blessing and a warning sign that you are headed in the wrong direction. Maybe the path you thought was right really is not the right one or the right timing. All those doors closing forces you to redirect to the right one if you are willing to be rerouted. Closed doors are simply a more gentle way of being rerouted versus allowing you to continue down a path that could possibly cause more harm than good.

3. There is no provision ever

Provision in this sense refers to anything you could possibly need to successfully continue on your path. This is not to say that everything is just handed to you when you are on your right path. But when you are on your right path, even if it comes down to the wire, a way is always made - provision always shows up even at the last possible second. When provision repeatedly isn't there, this is an indicator that you should reevaluate and do something different.

Listen to your gut and pay attention to the signs around you. Paying attention early and often, can alert you to when you are on the wrong path in life.

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All day your thoughts keep reverting back to the man you love so desperately. The man you thought — no, still think — is the one. And because you still have an ounce of hope, he fills and floods your entire mind. At this point you've probably had so many bad days with him that you can't truly remember what he did that makes you love him so much. So here goes the headline, "You are in love with his ghost." The man you fell in love with, even if it was only for two blissful weeks, has left the building. You are now left with his selfish remnants.

What is a lovesick, hopeless romantic girl left to do? Let him go. You've likely been questioning if he actually loves you. Will he ever treat you better? If he loves you, why does he hurt you so much? The honest truth is that you shouldn't have to ask if someone loves you, because true love, real love, pours out freely at every chance.

When we get used to dysfunctional love, over time it becomes our new normal. I was once in a relationship for so long I forgot how a normal healthy relationship looked. I forgot how love left you with a sense of joy, peace and elation. I was so caught up chasing the ghost of the man I loved, that I convinced myself to believe that one day we would get it right; that one day he would love me the way I thought I should be loved. I was walking on eggshells for so long I forgot what my normal stride was like. Yet, there was a deep-down feeling that this wasn't what love was. Listen to that feeling. That feeling will lead you out of a bad relationship and into a normal, healthy one.

You deserve to love freely and to be loved for who you are today, and the woman you strive to be. Real love will not make you feel like you need to get a promotion, finish a degree, look better or cook better in order for him to finally love you. The man who truly loves you will love you just the way you are.

The best thing you can do is let go of him today. If he is not sincerely working to make changes in your relationship, then don't wait another week or month or year. Remind yourself that you deserve more than he will give you. If he has not loved you well by now, he likely never will. And that is OK.

If you release him, the right man will come along. Don't let the fear of the unknown keep you in a constant state of confusion and heartache. I know — easier said than done; but you are strong enough to move on. Don't worry about the time you invested in the relationship or the thought that once you leave him he will love the next woman the right way. Maybe he will. But even if you stayed with him another year, short of a miracle straight from heaven, you would still be dancing a rhythmless dance with each other.

A person should dance in step with the one they love. Yes, toes may get stepped on occasionally, but you keep dancing — together. Let this go. Find the one that wants to dance with you in your own perfectly unperfected version of the tango.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on My Take on Happiness. It has been republished here with permission.

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Roses, chocolates and drugstore greeting cards are all nice gestures of how you feel about your wife, but isn't the true meaning behind Valentine's Day to make your sweetheart feel adored and engulfed with love?

If we peel back the layers of commercialism, the goal is to express love in an atypical way. For some couples, this is the one day of the year for grand, expressive gestures of love.

It's not likely that at the top of your lady's wish list is a material thing you can run out and purchase. If you asked her what she desires most for you to give her-a piece of your heart you have yet to share or a new purse-chances are she would ask for your heart.

A more meaningful gift than heart-shaped jewelry or candies would be a heartfelt promise backed by real action.

Here are two dozen promises for you to consider making to your wife.

1. I will love you better this year than I did last year.

2. I will consider your feelings when I make a decision.

3. I will not give more to the world than I give to you.

4. I will make you feel important to me.

1. I will be intentional in my actions towards you.

2. I will make efforts to grow together instead of apart.

3. I will set aside a few minutes every day to reconnect with you.

4. I will be vulnerable with you, even when it's uncomfortable.

5. I will tell you how I feel, even if it's just in short sentences or single words.

6. I will apologize first.

7. I will consider your point of view instead of getting angry with you.

8. I will remember why I love and married you, even when I don't "like" you.

9. I will still date you after all these years.

10. I will make you feel special and adored like I did when I was trying to win your heart.

11. I will love you unconditionally: you are not disposable to me.

12. I will treat you like I need you in my life.

13. I will remember my wedding vows to you and hold myself to them.

14. I will be twice as willing to forgive you as I am to fight with you.

15. I will not take you for granted.

1. I will not let days pass by without us being on the same page.

2. I will have your back in every circumstance.

3. I will support you.

4. I will see you: I will not let you fade into the background of my life.

5. I will make you a priority.

I repeat: the best Valentine's Day gift you can ever give your wife is your heart. Remind your wife why you love her and how you intend to love her going forward. For every chocolate or rose you planned to give her, give her a heartfelt promise.

The post The best Valentine’s Day gift ever (hint: it isn’t chocolate) appeared first on FamilyToday.