Having an open “Hobby” Relationship

This week on the Balanced Warrior Podcast, we have coaches Chris Berlow and Mike Mertens talking about the empty-nesting season of life.  Many couples fall in love, get married, have children, raise their children, and when the children move out, they forget why they were together.  They focused solely on being great parents and providing for their children, which is very worthy and admirable, but they didn’t take time for themselves.  Thankfully, that is not the case with Chris or Mike; in fact, it is quite the opposite.  Now that they have adult children, they have more time to pursue other hobbies and interests.  Both Mike’s wife, Alisa, and Chris’s wife, Kathy, completed a full Ironman and have taken their hobbies to an extremely high level.  Alisa rides her bicycle all over the world, and Kathy is always out for the next challenge.  The key to having a solid relationship is understanding and appreciating others’ interests and passions, or as Mike put it, having an “Open ‘Hobby’ relationship.”  Meaning they support each other in their endeavors but always find time for each other.  Some key takeaways to look our for are…

Always invest in your relationships. Children should enhance a relationship and not change it. It is important to support your spouse’s endeavors, no matter how bizarre and extreme. Be sure to come back to a “Common Ground” in between adventures. Ask your spouse, when proposing an idea, “Are you sure you are ok with it?” Communication is key. Earn your “Spousal approval credits.”

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