When you really think about it, relationships are very similar to businesses. I know it sounds a little crazy and honestly a little messy when you compare your love life with business. But try to think of the structure and framework of both parties; mission statements, investments, long term goals, sacrifices, problem solving, etc. They are a lot more similar than you thought, aren’t they? Now let’s dive into the nitty gritty details to help you understand relationships in a different and comparative light.
Firstly, just like a business, relationships are founded on similar values and intentions. In a business, you often see this in a mission statement. This is often used to let others know “this is who we are; this is our identity; this is what is important to us; this is what we value”. If businesses are able to have clarity on this...why can’t relationships do the same?! It may be worthwhile to have a conversation in your relationship(s) to be explicit about your shared values, and find a way to come up with a relationship mission statement that feels authentically you!
Set aside some time, bring an open mind and ask yourselves:
What’s your shared vision for your relationship?
What’s our highest priority? Work? Relationship? Independence?
How do we make important decisions?
How do we protect each other in private and in public?
How do we settle our differences?
Relationships are investments that take time, energy, and effort, and let’s be honest here, it takes a lot of vulnerability as well. In order to see results in a business or a relationship, all parties play a role. Everyone needs to recognize their roles and responsibilities to “pull their weight”. This includes psychological needs, financial matters and much more. Businesses won’t provide their services without you “showing up”, and this applies to your love life too, so make sure you are seeing the returns on your investments.
So, when we compare this to businesses, it is very common for companies to have problems come up, and they will probably set up a day to have a meeting where they can sort everything out. This is where people will share their opinions and will give each other feedback so everyone not only leaves on the same page, but they leave with a new goal in mind to better themselves and the company. This is the same for relationships, couples can set a day and time to meet to figure everything out and they can go into detail of how they can work towards building a stronger and healthier relationship.
In the end, obstacles and challenges help partners work on problem solving and it helps everyone to be more open and honest about their wants and needs. One of those relational obstacles can be the expectations that others have on you and your relationship. How do you and your partner(s) show up and protect your relationship against these external pressures? How do you manage to balance your own hopes and dreams against those of your friends, family, religion, etc? This is where having a clear idea on what our “relationship mission statement” can be extremely helpful. It can provide some guidance and be an anchor for you and your partner(s) to assess together “does this serve us? Does this align with who we are and who we want to be?”
Feel free to let us know how you feel about treating your relationship like a business and tell us your questions too - we love hearing from you! The best way to do this is follow us on Instagram @relationshipmatterstherapy.
If you want to hear more about relationships, check out our latest podcast episode and stay tuned on our social media this month. There is a lot of cool content coming your way!