Achieving Happiness: The qualities every potential mate needs

Love blossoms when two people have each other's best interests at heart, and it withers when they stop meeting one another's needs.

Romantic relationships start with flirting, that artful skill of getting someone to notice you. Once people have each other's attention, they build a connection by focusing on what makes the other person happy. If they both sustain a high level of energy for meeting one another's needs, the attachment between them becomes secure.

But so much can go wrong in a relationship. People often pick poorly at the outset. They flirt with people with whom they have a superficial attraction....