The Building Blocks of Great Relationships

We need more than an understanding of what good relationships require of us in order to create a great partnership. Many of us are aware of the things that we “should” do to create a fulfilling relationship, yet, for some reason we find ourselves unable to do the many of those things. This chapter will identify some of the reasons why so many of us find ourselves repeating old routines, even when we “know better”, and how to break out of these frustrating and damaging patterns and transform a breakdown into a breakthrough.Video titles for the course:Bloom talks: Essentials for a Successful Relationship
Relationships and Marriage -That Which Doesn’t Kill Us
Fixing a Broken Relationship
What Great Relationships Have in CommonHandout: Secrets of Great RelationshipsHigh priority – Holding the relationship as a very high priority in life.
Quality of attention – Really showing up and giving each other undivided attention.
Enlightened self-interest – This refers to the understanding and trust that what a person does to enhance another's quality of life enhances one's own quality of life as well.
Balancing personal needs with relationship needs –Maintaining the ever-shifting balance between attending to one's personal needs without neglecting the needs of the relationship, and vice-versa.
Resilience –The ability to learn from and grow through life's challenges.
Responsibility-The willingness to look at one’s part in the ups and downs of the relationship.
Generosity of Spirit-Living from the question: “How may I best love you?” 
Skillful management of differences – Preventing the inevitable relationship differences from deteriorating into destructive conflict through utilization of skillful means.
Higher purpose- The relationship is both an end in and of itself as well as a means to a greater end.
Openness to life – A willingness to embrace life fully, including its difficult aspects.