October 12, 2024

Read Time — 4 minutes

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Hey bud,

Most people struggle to balance building a business with maintaining a fulfilling personal life.

You juggle project deadlines, client work, and consistent output.

And there’s a certain thrill in building something on your own that pushes you to work longer hours and grind through the day.

But in all that hustle, there are more and more missed dinners, distracted conversations, and distance growing in your relationship with your partner.

Sound familiar?

The constant grind can leave you feeling disconnected from the people who matter most.

And when your relationship with your significant other (S.O.) becomes an afterthought, burnout sets in.

Stress becomes a daily occurrence, and the creativity and clarity you once had for your business starts to fade.

It can feel like you’re carrying everything on your own, and that weight can get really heavy.

Here’s the thing:

Your business doesn’t just depend on the work you put in — it also depends on the quality of relationship you sustain with your S.O.

Think about it. Your relationship (just like with your business) doesn’t thrive on autopilot. When you stop nurturing it, everything starts to feel like an uphill battle.

But when you actively maintain and sustain your relationship with your S.O., you bring that same energy to your business.

Now, my parents just celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary.

They’ve been my inspiration in forming and sustaining healthy relationships.

They are the most in-love married couple I’ve met and have set the benchmark for how I ought to be in my relationship with my wife.

So in this edition of The Empowered Entrepreneur Journal, I’m sharing the 3 things I’ve learned from their marriage on how to sustain a happy and healthy relationship (and how you can too).

1. Never Stop Dating Each Other

One thing I’ve noticed my parents do every week, ever since I was a child, is go on dates.

• Movies
• Dinner dates
• Out of town trips

These were their moments to really connect with each other.

They’ve always had busy lives, especially when they were still establishing their own companies, but they always made time to go on dates. It keept them connected and happy.

If you always treat your relationship like it’s the start of the relationship, it will never end.

2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Growing up, I’d sometimes witness my parents in disagreements and even fights.

At first, I thought that arguments were a bad thing. But later, I realized that arguments are normal. You are two completely different people with unique perspectives, so clashes are inevitable.

But I noticed that despite the arguments, when emotions cooled down, they’d return to being their loving selves.

Why?

They always communicated.

They communicated:

• What they wanted
• What expectations they had that were unmet
• What support they needed from each other moving forward

I also noticed that they regularly communicated forgiveness, gratitude, love, and appreciation.

I’ve learned that sweeping issues under the rug to “keep the peace” doesn’t work. Communication is the foundation of any relationship.

3. Experience Child-Like Joy and Adventure Together

Now that my parents have been empty nesters for many years, they’ve had the opportunity to travel regularly. Traveling is something they both love—they travel 1-2 times a month.

Whenever they share stories about their travels, they light up.

Other than traveling, they also enjoy:

• Ballroom dancing
• Going out in nature
• Dinner parties with friends

They’ve found activities that bring joy to both their lives and have fun experiencing them together.

In Conclusion

The 3 main principles I’ve learned from my parents’ 32 years of marriage are:

1. Never Stop Dating Each Other

2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

3. Experience Child-Like Joy and Adventure Together

These ideas have shaped how I view relationships and it’s helped me maintain a happy and healthy relationship with my wife, Bea.

Maintaining a strong and healthy relationships with your S.O. not only brings you joy and fulfillment, but also provides the support system you need to thrive in your business.

When your relationship is strong, you feel grounded and energized.

This positively impacts every area of your life — including your business.

A happy relationship will help you:

• Reduce stress

• Increase mental clarity

• Gain emotional stability to take on challenges with a clear mind

Just like how a strong foundation holds up a house, a strong relationship holds you up as you build and grow your business.

So remember to prioritize the people who matter to you most.

They not only deserve it, but you also deserve a strong and stable foundation for your life.

And if you’re reading this, mama and papa.

Thank you for being my inspiration.

Happy 32nd Anniversary :)

All the love,
All the power,

— Zach

P.S. Whenever you are ready, there are 2 ways that I can be of help to you:

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