My son just finished his first season playing basketball for his elementary school. And boy, was it fun to watch. I grew up playing basketball all the way through high school, so seeing my kid play, and enjoy it as much as I did, was really exciting. The squeak of shoes on the gym floor, the echoing bounce of the basketball, and the deafening sound of the game-time buzzer, all brought back so many memories.

But the biggest joy was seeing my kid play similarly to me.

I wasn’t the sharpest shooter or the best player on the team, but I was all hustle and heart and so is my kid. He’s a good foot shorter than some of the players and is still perfecting his ball-handling skills, but he is just so darn excited to be there, that you can’t help but smile when you watch him.

And every team needs a few kids like him on it. Yes, you need the kids that can score and the ones that can block the big shots, but you also need the ones that are going to spring back on defense, scream their hearts out when they’re sitting on the bench, and pick up their teammate when they miss a crucial shot.

And you need that in your partnership too. You don’t necessarily need a partner that’s got an IQ of 130 or finds themselves on the cover of the world’s sexiest person magazine. But you absolutely, without a doubt, need a partner that is all hustle and heart.

One that cheers you on, puts the work in, and lifts you up when you’ve dropped the ball. The one that doesn’t ditch out on practice or takes all the credit for the wins. 

My encouragement is to be sure you’re focusing on improving the hustle and heart of your relationship.

The more you can do a roster check and be sure you’re each other’s best teammate, the more you’re going to win in love!

You got this,

-A

P.S. If conflict and old wounds are preventing you from being each other’s biggest cheerleaders, please reach out. I’m here to help the two of you get back on track!