When I was young, and first started having relationships, there were a lot of things I did wrong. As I made my way through life, I collected a list of skills I wish I had learned much earlier; perhaps, had I known these things from the start, they might have saved some heartache.
This poster outlines some of the things I learned, in a way that helps me to think about them and remember them. The skills on the poster include:
• You can't expect to have what you want if you don't ask for what you want
• Just because you feel bad doesn't necessarily mean someone did something wrong
• Just because you feel good doesn't necessarily mean what you're doing is right
• Integrity matters
• expectation on your part does not incur obligation on someone else's
• When you feel something scary or unpleasant, talk about it
• If you're afraid to say it, that means you need to say it
• Your partners add value to your life; treat them preciously
• Make sure your partner's heart is safe in your hands
• The easiest way to FIND someone with the qualities you like is to be someone that a person with those qualities finds interesting
• People are not commodities; they are never interchangeable
• Your partner will do many things that are Not About You
• Different people express love differently; learn to recognize the way others express and receive love
• Don't treat people the way you'd have them treat you; treat them the way they'd have you treat them
• Pay attention
• We are born of frailty and error, and must forgive one another's failings
• Being in a relationship that does not meet your needs is not necessarily better than being alone
• Love is abundant
• It is not necessary to be the best at everything, or even anything; you alone bring your unique mix of qualities to the table
• Relationships that are consciously chosen are usually more rewarding than relationships built on default assumptions
• Don't play games, especially with other people's hearts
• Relationships are often different in theory than in practice
• Be flexible
• A sense of humor will get you through times of no sanity better than sanity will get you through times of no humor
• A partner who chooses to be with you is more satisfying than a partner who can't leave
• Real security comes from within
• People are not need fulfillment machines
• Don't look to others to complete you
• Life is Change
• Sometimes you will feel uncomfortable; that's normal, and not something to be feared
• All of us are lousy at predicting how we will feel in new circumstances
• When you hurt someone—and you will—suck it up, take responsibility, and do what you can to make it right
• Relationships end; it doesn't mean they were a failure, or that your ex-partners are bad people
• Your heart will, at some point, be broken, and that's okay; you will survive, and find love again
• Feelings are not fact
• Fear of intimacy is the enemy of happiness
• Compassion is most necessary when it's most difficult
• Don't vilify those who hurt you; they are people, too
• It is possible for two people to deeply, profoundly love each other but not be good life partners
• Being uncomfortable is not, in itself, a reason not to do something
• You can't be generous or compassionate when you fear loss
• The world is as it is, not as we want it to be
• Life's song is filled with beauty and chaos and joy and sorrow and pain and uncertainty and ecstasy and heartache and passion; to fear any of these things is to fear life
• Treat those you love with respect
• Life rewards people who move in the direction of greatest courage
This 16"x20" poster, printed on heavyweight semigloss paper, is perfect for mindful relationships.
You can see a larger image of the poster here.
Poster: Relationship Principles
- Product Code: RELATIONSHIP
- Availability: In Stock
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$14.99
- Ex Tax: $14.99