Relationships take work!

The spirit of acceptance is a core requirement for nourishing a connection, or reconnection, depending on your relationship. Your acceptance of who the other person is, just as they are, is the key. You decide to be there for them, in good and bad. If your partner experiences in you a loving spirit of acceptance, then he or she will find you approachable. By having 2 partners moving toward each other, rather than away from each other and the pain, the chances of reconciliation are dramatically improved. When you choose to approach your relationship with a spirit of acceptance, you will automatically find yourself focusing on your partner's assets and qualities rather than his or her shortcomings. You can and will choose to spend time thinking about the qualities which you appreciate, rather than that which you wish were different. By focusing on the positive qualities, you will bring those qualities out in the person and soon, that is all you will see, positive qualities.

Pain is the price you pay for resisting the natural order of things - and nothing is more natural than a loving relationship. We are here to receive love and be love to everyone. When we choose our partner, our life mate, we sometimes hope for perfection, for that person to know exactly what to do and when, to know exactly what to say, to know exactly when to hug us and when to give us space. But what I have learned in my relationships is that this is rarely the case. We all have a past and we have all learned different things. Sometimes it takes people many failed relationship to learn how to be a great partner. Each relationship teaches us something we need to know to make us a better person. However, if we choose to keep our blinders on and not see what we need to see, or don't listen to what others tell us, we will, once again, pay the price for resisting change and learning. It is our job to work on ourselves daily, to be gentle with ourselves and others, to share love and kind words with people as well as ourselves, to forgive when someone wrongs us, and take responsibility for our actions. It is our work to be the type of person we want to have in a partner. That way we will attract such a person to us and we will have the kind of loving relationship we desire.

With two failed marriages, and 27 years of learning, I now have a wonderful, trusting and unconditional loving relationship. Had I not had my previous learning experiences from my relationships, I would not have learned what I know and I most certainly would not be the person I am today. With each relationship I have had in my lifetime, I examined each one to figure out what lessons I had learned, to find forgiveness for what they did to me, and to ask for forgiveness for what I had done wrong. In doing so, I have been able to open my heart to let go of old patterns, and find room for more love. I wake up every day excited to see where it will take me and who I will be able to touch in a profound way! I feel lighter and more open to receive love and all possibilities!

Be loving and open, communicate your feelings and thoughts, and show appreciation for what others bring to your life. Be willing to be vulnerable and show your love by your actions, not just speak it with your words. Be the person you want to have in your life and have acceptance for who the person is. Challenge your old patterns of belief about relationships and be willing to talk about any problems with your partner. Seek help from friends or a professional if you need to, and be willing to look at yourself to make changes where they need to be made, so that you can be the best person you can be, for yourself but also for the rest of the world. With every interaction with all people, we will make a difference. Choose to be love, give love and share the best of you. You will be pleasantly surprised at how your world changes.