Cling? Slow down! Every relationship develops at its own pace. Don't fast forward to being "soulmates" or "best friends forever" just because things feel great. Cherish the novelty of it all, and the excitement of having something new, because it'll never be new again. It can be nerve-wracking not knowing how a certain connection is going to unfold, but it's also exciting. Be patient and learn to savor that excitement. Don't try and push the connection into a stage that it's not ready for.

Needy? Take off the rose-tinted glasses. Part of the reason we get disproportionately excited sometimes is because we tend to "idealize" a person in the very beginning. When you first meet someone who you have a connection with, it's so easy to get lost in fantasies of how awesome your friendship or relationship might be, but with those fantasies come high expectations, and sometimes those expectations are unrealistic! Make it a point to remind yourself that this new person is human, which means not perfect. He or she will make mistakes, and you need to be ready to cope and forgive, rather than act shocked that the person dares to be anything but perfect.

Practice quid pro quo  - a Latin phrase for this for that. Imagine your interaction with this person is like a tennis or volleyball game. Every time you initiate contact, your throw the ball to their side of the court. Then, you have to wait for them to send it back. You don't toss a whole bunch more just to make sure he or she is still interested in playing. If you're a little on the needy side, you probably get nervous and worried while you're waiting. When this happens, take a deep breath. If you've already sent an e-mail or text message, or called and left a voice message, there's no need to do it again.

Fill the gap. If you struggle with neediness, you may have low self-esteem. You might be looking for someone to make you feel better about yourself, but the fact is that you are the only person who can really do that. You shouldn't base your happiness on someone else. Sure, it's okay for someone to make you happy, but if they're your only source of happiness, you might become angry or sad whenever they're not around, and that can be too demanding for the other person! It can make others feel guilty, obligated and eventually, resentful towards you.

Learn to enjoy doing things alone, like reading a book, going for a walk, being with your own thoughts. Figure out what you like and want to do. Learn to say no, practice boundaries. Prove to yourself you can do things alone, until you feel confident, knowing you want a best friend or significant other, but you definitely don't need them.

Get busy doing other things. People who are busy simply don't have enough time to be needy; they're always preoccupied with other things, and guess what? Those other things often make those people more interesting friends and romantic partners. If you have nothing better to do than to wait for someone to call or write back, then you're probably bored (and you know what they say - if you're bored, you're boring). Volunteer. Learn to dance. Go for a run. Learn to oil paint. Join a club. Put yourself out there, and have fun! Your worries will fall away, and if and when the person gets in touch, it'll be a delightful surprise, not a frantic relief!