Tend the Garden of Your Relationship

Make a list of the most important people in your life. Then either pick up the phone or write them a card and let them know what you appreciate/respect/cherish/admire about them. Let them know you feel gratitude for them being in your life. It doesn't have to be profuse, just a simple one liner can bring that smile to someone's face. If you're like most people, you want love, connection, trust, passion, growth, companionship maybe with a little bit of spice thrown in. So, those things could be called your intention for the relationship. You intend to have honesty, laughter or adventure. After you're clear on your intentions, then you can ask yourself, Why do I want these things? How will these things impact my life? Perhaps in one relationship you will grow into a wiser more loving person, or in another relationship you will lighten up and not take life so seriously. From this level of clarity you could say, "The purpose of my relationship with John is to become a wiser more loving person." Or, "The purpose of my relationship with Annie is to remember to enjoy life and have fun! Different relationships can have very different purposes. The purpose of your work relationships may be something like, "To feel encouraged as I enjoy perfecting my skill as a dental technician and provide for my family." Ideally, you have a conscious purpose and intention for every relationship.If you want this purpose and intention to manifest abundantly, you will need to pay attention to the gardens of your relationships regularly. No one gets to enjoy a thriving garden if they neglect it. Now, you have a clearly stated purpose and intention and you are paying attention. The purpose of the relationship determines what kind of attention you need to give. Attention is about making your caring or respect visible. Too often people get lazy and stop expressing their love in a way that is meaningful to their friends and loved ones.