Strong relationships can make all the difference between surviving and thriving. Often, though, when times get tough, we find ourselves snapping and getting irritable, or simply neglecting to spend quality time with each other. But bonding with our partners and family members helps us to have more joy and develop strong connections, as well as supporting us through life’s biggest challenges.
Here’s a selection of tips from Thrive Challenge winners to help you reconnect with your partners and families.
- Tell the people you love how much they mean to you
“My wife Kendra and I tell each other ‘I love you’ every single day. I leave the house early, before she wakes up, and we always send each other texts saying: ‘Hope your day’s great.’ It makes us both feel good being grateful and knowing we’re thinking of each other.”
–– Ricky Biggs, Supercenter #0177; Paris, TN; $5K Winner
- Carve out time for activities you all enjoy, and communicate with each other
“At home, my sons and I schedule time for each other. We enjoy working out together. We have a treadmill and a stationary bike and while we are exercising we listen to our favorite R&B and urban hip hop, like Jaheim and Rod Wave. And we’re getting out and about together.The boys like to go to the pet store and we just bought two geckos! What’s important to us all is praying together every evening and talking about how the day went.”
—Sherkea Bryant, Supercenter #2754; Waynesboro, GA; $5K Winner
- Organize family outings and vacations together
“My husband Billy and I make sure we sit down to dinner with my daughters, Dyana and Meghan. And recently Billy and I went to Dollywood with Meghan and her boyfriend to ride the roller coasters. We’re spending more time together as a family. We go for family bike rides, hikes, white water rafting, and camping trips. It’s so much fun.”
—Patty Kennedy Patty Kennedy,Sam’s Club #6572; Knoxville, TN; $TK Winner
- Arrange date nights at home by cooking a special dinner
“I appreciate the simple things in life, like having dinner with my wife and I like to make meals special. I set the table nicely and cook something delicious like salmon with corn on the cob. I create a ‘restaurant’ ambience by serving our (non-alcoholic) drinks in wine glasses decorated with a slice of pineapple for an island look.”
—Nadia Parkinson, Walmart Pharmacy #5315; Orlando, FL; $3K Winner