Seven Basic Steps to Maintaining a Good Relationship

Found this on some counselling website and I just thought of sharing.

1. Be aware of what you and your partner want for yourselves and what you want from the relationship.

2. Let one another know what your needs are.

3. Realize that your partner will not be able to meet all of your needs. Some of these needs will have to be met outside the relationship.

4. Be willing to negotiate and compromise on the things you want from one another.

5. Do not demand that a partner change to meet all your expectations. Work to accept the differences that you see between your ideal and the reality.

6. Try to see things from the other's point of view. This doesn't mean that you must agree with one another, but rather that you can expect yourself and your partner to understand and respect your differences, your points of view and your separate needs.

7. Where critical differences exist in your expectations, needs, opinions or views, try to negotiate.

All sounds very common sense but how often have we lost track of it ourselves? Going to let these rules guide me. =)