Tag Archives: Relationships

Relationships: Grow- Together or Apart.

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Relationships are like plants—you either water them, or you let them shrivel up like that sad grocery store plant you swore you’d keep alive. People either grow together or grow apart, and fighting it is like arguing with gravity. Instead of stressing over where things are headed, focus on giving room for growth and staying loyal where it counts.

Give Room to Grow

One of the biggest mistakes in relationships is trapping people in their past—as if they’re frozen in time like an embarrassing yearbook photo. But people change, evolve, and—shockingly—mature (well, most of us).

Strong relationships require space for growth. Let people:

  • Explore new interests—even if it means listening to them talk about competitive duck herding. (Google it)
  • Chase their dreams without guilt-tripping them for “changing.”
  • Respond in their own time instead of expecting instant replies.

People aren’t museum exhibits; they’re works in progress. Friendships thrive when they allow growth instead of resisting it.

The Myth of a Million Friends (Quality Over Quantity, Always)

Social media suggests that a massive friend list equals success, but let’s be honest—real friendship isn’t about numbers, it’s about depth. If you can count a few ride-or-die friends by the time you’re old and wrinkly, you’ve won the friendship lottery.

Deep friendships stand out because:

  • They don’t judge you for eating nachos at 10 a.m.
  • They embrace your quirks instead of pretending not to know you.
  • They stick around even when life gets complicated.

Having a crowd around you means nothing if none of them truly know you. The best relationships prioritize quality over quantity.

The Secret Sauce: Loyalty (Because Flaky Friends Are for Breakfast, Not Life)

If relationships are like plants, loyalty is the fertilizer. Loyalty doesn’t require constant agreement or attachment at the hip—it simply means showing up when it matters.

Loyal friends:

  • Speak well of you, even when you’re not in the room.
  • Stand by you during tough times, not just when life is fun.
  • Give grace when you make mistakes (because we all do).

Loyalty isn’t about tolerating toxic relationships. Instead, it means caring consistently, even when life gets busy.

Final Thought: Relationships Should Breathe, Not Suffocate

At the end of the day, relationships work best when they breathe instead of suffocate. Some stretch, some fade, and a few last a lifetime. The key is to give people space to grow, stay loyal where it counts, and never expect relationships to stay the same forever.

So, water the good ones, let go of the ones that wither, and be the kind of friend who sticks around—even when life gets messy.

Because if you have a handful of real friends who love you despite your quirks, bad jokes, and occasional life crises, you’re doing better than most.

And that, my friend, is relationship success. Go ahead and text your friend!

Lean On Me (And Maybe a Few Others, Too)

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Once upon a time, in a world where neighbors actually knew each other’s names and didn’t just recognize them from Amazon package labels, people leaned on their communities. Whether it was borrowing a cup of sugar (or a lawnmower) or getting advice from someone who had “been there, done that,” community was the secret sauce of success and well-being.

Nowadays, we have Wi-Fi, social media, and enough digital connections to make a robot blush—but somehow, we’re lonelier than ever. That’s why we need to get back to what actually works: real community.

I once heard someone say, “You’ll never be your best self by yourself.” And honestly, they nailed it. So, let’s talk about why community matters and how to build one that actually makes life better.

1. You Need Community. (Yes, Even You, Lone Ranger.)

A strong community is like a good cup of coffee—warm, energizing, and way better when shared. Whether it’s a church, a gym, a book club, your work family, or just a group of people who share the same oddly specific hobby (synchronized dog walking, anyone?), you need people around you.

Reality check: No community is perfect. There will be drama, strong opinions, and probably someone who always forgets to Venmo you back. But a good community? It’s worth its weight in gold.

2. Can’t Find a Community? Build One!

If you’re struggling to find your people, congratulations! You’ve just been elected the founder of a brand-new community. (No pressure.) It could start with a coffee meetup, a Facebook group, or just inviting a couple of friends over for a game night. Small sparks create big fires.

3. Invest In Your Community.

Great communities don’t just happen—they’re built. And that takes time, patience, and showing up (even when Netflix is calling your name).

Here’s the secret: The best communities are not built on what you get but on what you give. Be the one who encourages, checks in, and brings extra snacks. Give your time, energy, and resources, and watch how it comes back tenfold.

4. Ditch the Perfection Act. (We See Through It Anyway.)

Listen, nobody relates to perfection. If you’ve built an imaginary Instagram-filtered wall around your life, it’s time to tear that thing down. Real relationships grow in honesty, not in perfectly curated highlight reels. Be real, be vulnerable, and let people in. You’ll be surprised how much stronger your community becomes when you stop pretending you have it all together. (Spoiler alert: none of us do.)

5. Conflict Happens. Handle It Like a Pro.

Every community—no matter how amazing—will have conflict. That’s just humans being human. But here’s a pro tip: Conflict gets worse when you ignore it and shrinks when you address it with humility.

Instead of avoiding it, bring it to the table. Literally. Grab coffee, hash it out, and prioritize the relationship over the argument. Healthy communities aren’t built on perfect agreement—they’re built on people willing to work through their differences.

Let’s Build Something That Lasts.

Bottom line? We are better together. We were designed for community—created to lift each other up, challenge each other, and be there when life gets hard.

So, let’s embrace the messiness of real relationships.
Let’s invest in the people around us.
Let’s choose community over isolation.

Because at the end of the day, success isn’t about going solo—it’s about who you’re walking with.

So, who’s in?

“Finding the Silver Lining: Overcoming Pessimism and Embracing Hope”

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“Pessimism: because why settle for just being unhappy when you can be consistently disappointed by everything? #Sarcasm #Pessimism”


Someone recently asked me if I thought I was more optimistic or pessimistic. Of course, I proudly said, “I’m optimistic!” This got me thinking about the truth of pessimism.


IT’S FREAKING EASY TO BE PESSIMISTIC! Yes, I was yelling… at the HALF-EMPTY cup! The entire culture sets us up to look for the negative. It may just be me, but a negative outlook is a default. Oh wait, that isn’t very optimistic!


So how do we see the silver lining to the DARK CLOUD THAT STAYS OVER MY HEAD? Why Am I yelling? Oh boy!

Heres a few thoughts to overcome pessimism and embrace hope!

  1. Practice gratitude: Make a habit of focusing on the people and things you are thankful for and expressing gratitude for them.
  2. Reframe negative thoughts: When you have a negative thought, challenge it by looking for evidence that supports a more positive perspective.
  3. Surround yourself with positivity: Seek out people, activities, and environments that uplift you and bring you joy.
  4. Focus on solutions, not problems: Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, concentrate on finding solutions to problems.
  5. Engage in self-care: Take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being through activities like exercise, meditation, and hobbies.

“You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can control your attitude towards it.” – Unknown

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic? Thoughts?

Dating your Spouse?

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Do you date your spouse? Think about this old verse in a popular song, “You gotta dance with the one that brought you!’ Ok, maybe it wasn’t a popular song but follow the thought. Dating got you and yours to the marriage alter. Dating will help sustain a level of health in your marriage.
Here are a few essentials of a fantastic date night.
Schedule it – everyone is so busy, and we must prioritize the importance of our relationships. Write it down! Send your spouse an invitation. Highlight the calendar.

Anticipate it – talk about how much fun it’s going to be. Send each other messages leading up to the date.
“I can’t wait to spend the evening out with you!”

Protect it – something always comes up. While a few things require you to reschedule, those things must be on a concise list.

Wisdom: don’t try to work things out on date night. Don’t use a date night to end a disagreement. Enjoy your time – plan to laugh, make out, dream, or stare into each other’s eyes. Focus on enjoying each other. You may need a predate night to talk things out.

Here is a great date night idea.
Schedule a trip to a town or city nearby that you usually don’t visit.
Look for a new restaurant and enjoy some fresh surroundings.

When was your last date night?

Stronger Connection

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 NLT

I love the practicality of Paul’s words of encouragement. Don’t worry instead, pray, tell and thank!

Is it really that easy? Maybe we should try and see if it works.

Pray about everything is simply allowing God space in your life. Staying constantly connected.
Tell– This is all about getting to the root of a request. Remove the whining, complaining, manipulation and simply tell God what do you need? Or, what you think you need.
Thank God for what He has already done. Gratitude is the enemy of worry!

I believe Pray, Tell, and Thank helps cultivate a stronger relationship with God which leads to peace (v7).

But wait!

If this simple idea works with our relationship with God, I wonder if it would work with other relationships? Consider your closest relationship may be a spouse, a close friend, or a family member.

What if we created space for others in our everyday, busy lives? What would it look like to strive for a more consistent connection?

We all have needs and request. Sometimes in relationships, we use negative tools like manipulation and criticism to try to get what we need. What would it look like to make a simple request?
I need __________. This seems like it would be easier. However, this would force me to really consider what I need and communicate it but, maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Gratitude is the key to strength in any relationship. Tell someone how grateful you are for them. Get back to the simple, strong words “thank you!” Thank you for loving me. I am grateful that you are in my life.

These ideas could cultivate a stronger relationship with God and each other.

Give it a try!