Ever sat down to lunch or dinner with that person that knows you better than you know yourself? That supports you and lifts you up every time? If you haven’t, then you are depriving yourself.
In my case, I have a great group of friends that like to shake their finger at me from time to time. Does that sound familiar? You know that moment when you’re chit chatting about the kids, good times, work, and all the events that you missed out on because you were too busy to attend. Then, somewhere in the conversation one of you brings up something that has happened that they might be struggling with. It happens to us all. The best part of that is, you get an outside opinion or take on what you should do. Sometimes it can be an ugly opinion. Yep, that one. The opinion that you didn’t want to hear but needed to.
I can’t tell you how important it is to have a friend or family member that will set you straight because they care. The funny thing is, you both get an opportunity to help each other. We can’t do ‘life’ without these kinds of people. It takes a village to raise even ‘us’ as adults. Think about it- We have these preconceived ideas of how life should be, how others should treat us, and how much we are the victim. It is only human. Also, keep in mind that your perspective is almost always tainted by your own feelings or fears. We need each other in order for us to be great versions of ourselves.
With all that being said, remember that an outside opinion can sometimes be the best thing you hear all day. Don’t waste another day trying to figure things out on your own. Pick up the phone or send a text to that certain someone that truly knows you and meet them for lunch or dinner. And if you don’t have that support system yet, take the time to invest in and be there for someone else first. The next time, they will do the same for you. Trust me, it is worth the effort. Something as simple as this will undoubtedly make you a better ‘you’.
Jackie Hovorka 