5. Virtues and Relationships

In a successfully designed Landscape we need to have enough positive relationships that are a source of enrichment, vitality and growth in our lives. Science shows us that one of the common themes amongst people with higher levels of happiness and flourishing is the strength and quality of the relationships they have in their lives. Learning how to build positive relationships involves understanding the quality of behaviours and the attributes that contribute to strong and healthy relationships, what type of communication needs to occur in these relationships and how to move past difficulty and disappointment when there are conflicts or hurt.

These qualities and attributes are found in the virtues and values that make a life worth living. Learning how to cultivate these virtues and understanding what is most important to us and to others sets us up for building more positive relationships in our lives. It also assists us to nurture those relationships over time and find ways to forgive and repair them when mistakes are made.