Monday, September 20, 2010

Loyalty - Be There for the People You Care About

When our home in Vero Beach, Florida, was hit by Hurricane Frances in 2004, we were without power in hot, humid weather for over ten days. We spent every one of those days cleaning up our property. When our friends ten miles north of us got their power back in a couple days, they asked us to stay with them. Even though it meant extra effort and some loss of privacy, they were gracious for more than a week. So during that time, we could take hot showers at the end of the day and sleep in an air-conditioned bedroom. It was an act of true friendship.

In relationships, people depend on each other to be there during the hard times as well as the good times. People will consistently come through for you if they know you, like you and trust you. They’ll be loyal to you because you're loyal to them.

You’re loyal when you show how important the people you care about are by giving them priority over other things. You don’t do things at their expense.

When people you care about are going through difficult times, it can be a real challenge to devote the energy and resources to truly support them. You’ve probably got your own problems to deal with, and you may not be sure what other people need from you.

In situations like this, you can make a conscious choice to be true to your relationships. Whether it’s family, friends or work associates, if you’re genuinely concerned about their welfare, you’ll “be there” for them and even go the extra mile. You’d want them to do the same for you.

There’s an obvious benefit to others when you make them a high priority. The benefit to you when you’re loyal to a relationship is that they trust you.

You already know how to be loyal. Just remember what will happen if you aren’t. You want people to know they can count on you to come through for them even in the toughest of circumstances.

A Fortune Cookie...


Be there for those you care about, and you'll never be alone.


The story behind the Fortune Cookies...


Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., Copyright 2010. Building Personal Strength .

1 comment:

Sharon said...

Very good story Denny. Appreciate you sharing these words.