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Reconnect with Your Support Group

Nothing is more important than making time for those who support you most.

Who’s in your support group? Maybe it’s your partner, family, extended family, or close friend (who feels like family).

Life can get hectic—quick. When it does, it’s easy to lose track of who matters most. We forget that spending time with the ones who support us takes effort. Regardless of whether you see each other every day, or not, it’s easy to convince yourself that you’ll get together, or do something special, when things slow down—except they never do. Like an exotic vacation you talk about but never schedule, there’s always a risk it falls between the cracks.

Your support group is important—they fuel your energy, increase confidence, make you feel secure, and are good for your emotional health.

Want to reconnect with your support group? Here are a few recommendations:

  • Pay attention to each other’s schedule. Dedicate time to share your schedule with your support group and understand what important events or activities are on their schedule for the upcoming week. There’s typically a lot going on and everyone may be on a different schedule. Remember to set aside time to get on the same page—before the week begins—so you both don’t miss something important.
  • Prioritize your loved ones first. It sounds cliche but this can’t be overstated enough. There will always be conflicts but nothing is more important than the ones you love—nothing. No one on their deathbed wished they spent more time at work. Schedule your support groups’ important events just as you would a client meeting so you don’t miss them. You will be glad you did. Recommit to minimizing exceptions wherever possible.
  • Have meals together. Commit to eating dinner together with your loved ones or identify the nights each week that you can. Enjoying a meal together is a perfect time to reconnect, catch up on each other’s lives, and bond. While every night may be difficult, make it a priority to identify the nights that work.
  • Plan FUN time together. Plan a group vacation or weekend excursion together, and act like a kid. It doesn’t have to be exotic. It could be a long weekend visiting a new city or it could be a summer day trip to the beach. Notice how much interaction and excitement is generated when you schedule time together. Half the fun is in the planning itself. My family loves to discuss what we should (or shouldn’t do) on an upcoming trip. That, in it itself, creates a unique opportunity to bond—even before the trip itself.
  • Schedule a date night. One-on-one time is invaluable. Schedule a “date night” with individual members of your support group. When my three kids were little, I took each of them to a different Philadelphia 76ers game. We also had Father-daughter lunches on Saturday, just with Dad. They were so excited to spend time, just the two of us. Today, my wife and I go out every Thursday night—just us. While group time together is important, private one-on-one time is equally valuable.

Reconnecting doesn’t have to be complicated in order to be meaningful. Even small moments like sharing ice cream together can build memories that last a lifetime. Make the time. There is nothing more energizing than having fun with the ones who love and support you.