I’m headed to the United Kingdom, specifically Wales, to watch a Wrexham football match. Wrexham is in the European Football League, which we Americans call soccer, and it’s been incredibly exciting.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Netflix documentary by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, but they bought this team, and it’s been amazing to watch them evolve and earn promotions. They’ve been doing really well, and it’s a blast to cheer them on.
I wouldn’t have discovered Wrexham or its strong sense of community if not for my good friends, Jenn and Cass. They live on the West Coast, and we’ve known each other for over 28 years. I haven’t seen them in person since before COVID, which is more than five years ago.
What I love about this Wrexham excitement is how it has reconnected us in a meaningful way. We’ve always been friends and supported each other, but this shared interest reignited and deepened our bond.
So for today’s Wise Walk, let’s slow down, check our reality, and ask ourselves these questions.
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- What relationship in your life do you want to rekindle, reconnect, or reinvigorate?
- What shared interests might you bring in to energize it?
- How can you approach it differently and find new common ground?
- Could setting aside time for consistent reunions, virtual or in person, help?
- How can you reinvigorate meaningful relationships that have faded due to time, distance, or busyness?
- What steps can you take to refocus them in your life?
- Is there someone in your life that you would love to share one of your passions with?
- Do you think of a person often, still talk on the phone, and stay connected, but feel that life has evolved?
- What new interest could you find to bond over and elevate your conversations?
- How can you get energized and find reasons to show up and do things together, either in person or virtually?
- How can you grow together and show up for each other in this rekindled connection?
- How can you support each other as you reestablish and strengthen your friendship?
- What steps can you take to ensure your rekindled connection keeps getting better over time?
- Is there a relationship in your life that maintains deep connections across time, distance, and space?
- Have you expressed to that person how important your connection is to you?
- Have you let them know you appreciate being in this together and look forward to evolving together?
- Are you open to finding new shared interests to strengthen your bond?
- Do you make an effort to learn about what’s happening in their life beyond your shared interests?
- How can you show up and pay more attention to deepen your connection?
- What is the rhythm of your relationships and how can you honor that rhythm to keep them alive?
- Are you in a relationship where you can naturally ebb and flow, calling and catching up as you can?
- Do you need to be more scheduled and intentional about securing time to nurture your relationship?
- Can you plan a joint activity that you both look forward to, whether it’s local or abroad?
- How can you maintain consistent touchpoints while also planning special events to cherish together?
- What steps can you take to create a balance between regular communication and memorable shared experiences?
As we wrap up, remember to stay curious and open-minded in your relationships. Embrace new opportunities for joy and fun, allowing your connections to evolve while fostering personal growth.
Keep the spirit of friendship alive, whether you’re cheering for your favorite team or embarking on your own adventures. Until our next Wise Walk, tune in every Thursday for a new episode.
In this episode:
[03:46] A quick recap of my relationships with Jenn and Cass.
[05:13] We’ve reunited because of our shared interest in football.
[06:02] It’s so nice to know that you can rekindle a relationship and that passion you share spans time and distance.
[07:51] I’m in Northern Florida and Jenn and Cass are in Northern California. We’re 3,000 miles apart and Wales is across the pond.
[08:30] Technology has a beautiful way of bringing us all together.
[10:59] I’m excited about the match and a reunion with Jenn. Unfortunately, Cass isn’t going to be able to make the trip.
[11:31] We are open to appreciating the friends we have, and expanding and growing our circles.
[14:14] It’s important to be open and curious in relationships.
Memorable Quotes:
- “When you have a relationship with those deep roots, and even if life has evolved and things have changed, it’s so easy to reestablish that connection with just a little bit of spark.” – Mary Tess
- “It’s beautiful when you can figure out what is the rhythm of the relationships and how can you keep them alive honoring that rhythm.” – Mary Tess
- “We are at a phase in life where we are appreciating the friends we have. And then we’re also growing in relationships with individuals that share common interests.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources: