Love Exponential (Part Two)

Here is the list that I promised you in part one!

• How much do you and your prospective mate want each other to succeed, both professionally and personally? Do you each rejoice in the other’s happiness, even if it is achieved through individual rather than mutual effort?

• How much do you contribute to each other when solving problems? Can you each be constructive in offering advice, without the need to demand the other “Do what I say!”
• Are you both 100% committed to the relationship? Are you both willing to work through the inevitable issues that come up in life? Do each of you take 100% responsibility for what happens in the relationship? This is not to deny individual responsibility, but to require that both people are 100% committed to working out solutions.

Charley and I at Mt. Bonnell in Austin early this year when we went to visit our wonderful daughter, Amy.

(Remember, the root of the word “responsible” is respond! Stuff happens. It’s how we respond and deal with it that determines our responsibility level.)

• And on that note, do you agree on a method of resolving problems that does not demean the other person or lessen that individual’s personal integrity and survival?

Note: In my last marriage, I had allowed my self-worth to be undermined. Notice I said “I”! Yes, another was involved, but I had to allow it or agree to it or it wouldn’t have had the long-term negative effect. As part of my transformation, I determined that no mate or personal relationship was ever going to be worth my integrity to myself. A relationship worth having would be one in which both parties are uplifted to higher states of self.