Relationships

 

Life moves at the speed of relationships. I am not sure where I first heard that statement, but it resonated with me immediately. Think about the relationships in our lives…

• God
• Spouse and significant others
• Children
• Parents and siblings
• Close friends and confidants
• Church groups
• Mentors and mentees
• Business partners
• Employees and co-workers
• Clients and vendors

 

Relationships are valuable and important to us. I do not believe we are meant to do life alone. The people we surround ourselves with are critical to how we navigate life. Failed and broken relationships can be devastating. Strong and healthy relationships can be lifesaving. As vital as relationships are, they are seldom easy. They can be challenging and messy. They require work and attention. Relationships need to be valued, nurtured and protected.

Life moves at the speed of relationships. Are you investing enough in yours?

Why do we wait?

Why do we wait until people grow old, or even die, before acknowledging and praising them?  Why do we let those who have positively impacted our lives walk around without knowing what they mean to us?  What don’t we tell people when they play a role in making us who we are?  We may not all get that chance, and we should not wait.  Obituaries are a great place for tributes, but they come too late.  No time is better than the present to share with others how they have impacted your life. 

Thank people who have given you good advice.  Praise those who teach you life lessons.  Tell people you appreciate their honesty and integrity.   Let friends and family know what makes them special to you.  Share your appreciation with people who listen and mentor you.  Verbalize your love for others.  Don’t wait another day…let people know the impact that they have had on your life. 

Important versus Urgent?

I don't know about you, but I am not very good at taking care of the important things in life as opposed to the urgent things.  I seem to I focus on urgent issues of the day, often just to put a check mark in the box.  There are things that are urgent that we all have to take care.  There are also things that are very important that we should take care of.  It always seems urgent to answer emails, return calls, go to the grocery store, and do the laundry.  Granted those are mostly necessities and they need to be addressed.  However, there are more important things like consoling a troubled neighbor, spending quality time with your kids, mentoring a young associate, or visiting an elderly relative.  There are important things in life that we should prioritize above the urgent issues of the day.  As you plan your day, think about the important versus the urgent...

Happy Monday Morning!