The Value of a Relationship

Aside from my time, I view my relationships and my network as one of the most valued and treasured aspects of my life, and of my business. I believe in creating the space and demonstrating the grace to cultivate and nurture real relationships.

Simply being linked on social media, or being on someone’s email list, doesn’t automatically establish a real relationship or meaningful connection.

It always amazes me how many people start “selling” the minute a connection is made. When real selling should never feel forced, false or sleazy. It shouldn’t feel icky. Selling is actually nothing more than a love letter you get to share with those who want or need your services or products. And, marketing is just the way in which you get to deliver that letter. However, when you haven’t take the time to get to know someone, how can you write a love letter to them?

Think about that … you have an amazing set of gifts, talents, ideas, and love to share with others in this world. Yet, the you step away from that due to fear, anxiety, and even desperation, you lose the very energy that makes you so attractive to others. The bridge you had the opportunity to build has been destroyed. For you create a barrier that doesn’t allow people, the people truly meant for you, to see you, hear you, and find you.

For you are a lighthouse. You are meant to shine.

And, your light is designed to call the right boats in, to shine for those who need to find you most. Imagine if those boats are not able to find you, to see that light … what gets lost, as a result. You are the answer to someone’s prayers. Without your light, those prayers may never get answered.

It should feel effortless, easy, and expansive to shine your light and when you send out your love letter. But, when you send the love letter out before you really know who you are sending it to, you leave the recipient feeling like just another boat you are trying to amass and not the special ones meant to find their way into your harbor.

See, when I choose connect with you (especially on behalf of an introduction from someone already in my network), I expect that you will show up in integrity, seeking to get to know me better, and affording me the same opportunity to do the same with you. I expect to feel your presence, your curiosity, and your authenticity.

However, when you barely say hello, barely take the time to know me at all, and then start trying to sell me your products, service, program, or MLM business, I am immediately turned off, and likely will sever the newfound connection.

Trust, in that moment, is broken, and I am very leery about engaging further with you as I feel I can’t trust you to really care about me, just about how you can close a deal instead. I now have a bad taste in my mouth that usually keeps me from any further discussions.

The art of building real, meaningful, connected relationships seems to be lost on many.

I am noticing it more and more of every platform, and in too many interactions. And. it's actually kind of gross. Selling, real selling, should feel open, natural and as if you are extending the most generous invitation. It should feel like an expansion of the impact and value you bring to the conversation and the relationship.

An invitation, for the right person, will be an easy “YES.”

Connection is such a beautiful thing. When I feel there is a deep connection, and real relationship, there is nothing more I love than building collaborations, supporting people who stand in integrity, and building deeper partnerships. I also want to work with them, and invest in their services, their products … to invest in them.

Without that connection, without space and grace to create and expand, and nurture, a relationship, without taking time to actually get to know me, my needs, my desires ... I'm out.

Let’s stop being a culture that is all about "what's in it for me?" and start being a culture about "how may I serve?” and “what’s in it for you?”

When our purpose, our work, is to build meaningful spaces and relationships with our soul family ... those we are here to truly serve, we are living in our highest calling. We are serving those who we are meant to serve, and it’s the purest form of love.

When we keep letting our ego lead, we diminish our capacity to truly lead, to fully show up, to shine our light, and to share the gifts we are here to offer.

Then, the light in our lighthouse dims, and eventually goes out.

For the real currency in life, and in business, is the quality of our relationships.

Real relationships are built on the foundation of trust, presence, the ability to listen for understanding, empathy, and a commitment to learn, lean in, and love. For when we take time to cultivate and nurture our connections, our light gets brighter and stronger, attracting more and more into our circle and our community.

It really is a beautiful and exquisite space when we allow ourselves to fully expand.

Those individuals who understand the value of a relationship stand out, become a beckon of light and are easily able to attract the right people to them.

Because you don't need to push, to force, or to sell. You simply need to be true to yourself, be consistent in your message, show up fully, and activate your highest vibration and energy to attract those people you are meant to serve.

You just need to invite them in, and write them the love letter they need and want most.