🤗 Better Together: Relax & Socialize at the Same Time 🤗

As much as I love my solo time & don’t mind being antisocial sometimes, I know the power of having a tribe. The saying “it takes a village” is no lie. We certainly can’t do life on our own. God didn’t even leave Adam solo, so why would you be an exception? 🤔Let’s discuss how & why we’re better together.

Who? What? Better Together 👯‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

What does “better together” mean to you? To me, it means elevating my life, being loved & supported, someone having your back, having a solid foundation. 🫂 You get the point. Not everyone thinks the phrase is true though, & that’s where social self-care comes in.

     Group self-care can be relaxing & fun, all rolled into one. When I get with my friends, it’s always planned out. I’m not good at spontaneous stuff since I’m always pulled in 50leven directions.🧭 (*Insert Intentional Planner to keep me on track) But even though things have to be planned out, it’s always a vibe!🎉

     We’re good for getting together to get lunch or dinner. 🍱 It seems to be the easiest to plan. The time spent catching up on life & getting lots of laughs is great for the soul. We’ve also been known to do sip & paint, go to conferences or events in the community, & make candles. Regardless, having a few groups of girls that love & support me is something I’ve come to value. 

     Another piece of being better together is family. I talk about mine all the time. My sisters, aka Dem Miles Guhls, do it for me every time. 💯 I think one of the best trips I’ve been on was a sister trip to Vegas, & we didn’t even do much. Eating, doing a little shopping & gambling, & getting matching tattoos was a good time. 🎰 You don’t always have to be in the mix to have a good time.      

When the rest of my family gets together, it’s bound to be loud & filled with laughs. When we used to have Sunday dinners every week, it was time to catch up & give others a chance to relax without having to cook an extravagant meal. The togetherness is laying the foundation for our kids to embrace being tight-knit with your family. 🤞🏽 Hopefully they’ll learn the value of family through us. 

When? Better Together ⏰

Technically, there’s no cap on how often you can/should get together with your people. You just have to refill your cup when it’s nearing empty. Some people have to refill their social self-care tank weekly. My daughter is definitely one of those social butterflies. 🦋 She acts like it’s going to kill her is she can’t go play or be on the phone with one of her lil friends constantly. I can’t keep up!

     Now me, on the other hand, I can be social a few sprinkles at a time…meaning I’m good with a quarterly outing with the girls. Between working full-time, handling Intentional business, & my family’s crazy life, I stay tired. 🥱 All I want to do is lay on the couch in some comfy clothes with a remote or book in hand. That’s that loner in me.

     Family is a bit of a different story. I interact with my sisters pretty much every day. We keep something going on in the sister chat or social media chats. I check in on the parentals a few times a week. They move around way more than I do, so I try to keep tabs here & there (even though they think they’re grown). 👀 The one person I can be around every day is husbae. We both don’t mind being alone so we can appreciate the quiet togetherness.

Where? Better Together 🗺️

Social self-care is limitless with options. You might want to stay in sometimes & just vibe over wine or play games with the crew. 🍷You can make a list of restaurants you want to try & set a date. 🍲 Spa dates are always a great way to bond & relax…quietly. 💆🏽‍♀️ Vacation mode gives you a balance of relaxation & adventure. 🛫 The list goes on & on.

     If you feel like you’re running out of ideas though, there are plenty of resources online to help switch it up a little. 💻 Check out these other activities that can further define being better together:

• https://notesbythalia.com/social-wellness-how-to-make-self-care-less-lonely/
• https://rackupmoments.com/social-self-care-ideas/
• https://putthekettleon.ca/social-self-care/

     Don’t let things get monotonous. Who wants to be a character in Groundhog’s Day? A variety of things is always good for your life. It makes for a well-rounded person. 😉

How? Better Together 💭

Adulting is hectic, at least my adulting is. Some days I have no idea how I’m getting around. My schedule is packed almost every day every week. 📆 Due to that & getting older, my energy depletes pretty quickly. In order for me to come out of my social cocoon, I have to schedule it, set a reminder, & hype myself up to follow through. 

     There’s nothing wrong with being booked & busy. It honestly should be celebrated. But you have to fit some time in to refill your cup. There’s not that much busyness in the world; it’s not good for you. Even God rested after He created the world! 🙌🏽

     Never fear; we’ve got some answers to the how’s. Use your resources! For example: 

• Planners allow you to physically write down all of your important tasks. ✍🏽 I have to write things down so they stick a little better, & it’s been pretty effective for me. 
• The iCal alerts are set for everything important, MANDATORY! ⏲️ Hearing a sound or feeling a buzz to remind me that I have something to handle prepares me mentally for the task at hand. 
• Putting up boundaries & enforcing them works wonders. Sometimes you have to make people value your time just as much as you do. ☝🏽 Regardless of whether the boundaries are for certain people, places, things, or times, you deserve to have them respected.
• Know your tribe. You have to know who will show up & show out for you. Those are the ones that are the epitome of “better together.” 🥰

As much as some of us enjoy our solitude, we all still need a little bit of TLC & QT with the ones we care about the most. Use this summer to reconnect with your circle. ⭕️ Make memories that last a lifetime!