Relationships offer some of the greatest lessons in life.  Whether they are voluntary or involuntary, professional or personal, relationships can be immensely rewarding and extremely challenging.  For those times of great challenge, mindfulness is paramount for dealing effectively with relationship stress and achieving harmony.  Mindfulness allows you to develop greater awareness of your patterns of communication, identify problematic thoughts, and respond consciously and respectfully for mutual benefits.  In the next few posts, there will be several tips for applying mindfulness to relationship challenges.