Building Your Tribe
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Relationships

Building Your Tribe

7 people you should have in your life.

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Building Your Tribe
Beliefnet.com

They say it takes a village to raise a child but I believe it takes a tribe to keep you sane as an adult. Some people believe that you just need one other person in life, a partner (whatever that means to you) and that together you can get through anything.

Except that one person cannot always meet all of your needs. They will eventually fail and if you have all of your eggs in that one basket, you will be hurt and feel let down by them. People in the real world have jobs and responsibilities and they get sick. Sometimes they just get sick of us. That's okay. We are human, not perfect. I think that we need to cast a wide net into the world and have many people, besides our partner (or mother or bestie or whoever you rely on for everything) who can help us get along.

In no particular order, here are the seven kinds of people I find that I need in my life. Some people meet more than one criteria but no one person can be all of things all of the time.

Spiritual Seeker

I need someone in my life that I can talk about the big, confusing spiritual growth stuff with. They need to be open minded and ready to hear my spiritual triumphs and my deepest spiritual struggles with out judgement but with understanding.

Reality Checker

This person is like a mentor who is there to keep me on the right track. They will call bullshit on me when no one else will. This person needs to be strong and able to see around manipulation, mine and others. There will be times that you will not like this person, but in the end you will love them for always telling the truth. this could be someone at work who is guiding you to where you want to be or someone in life who has been through what you are going through and is leading you to a better place.

Just for Fun

This friend makes you laugh, knows your silly mistakes and always reminds you of them.They are the one that will take you out dancing, blare gangster rap in their minivan, and are always game for an adventure. This person cannot be afraid to make of fool of themselves or you and can always cut the tension with a well timed joke.

Nurturer

We need people in our life that mother us and tell us that everything will be alright. This is the friend who drops off food to you and calls just to check in. This friend will ask you if you are taking care of yourself and remind you that nothing is so bad that a nap can't fix. This could also be your mother, grandmother, friend's mother, or other relative that has taken on a mothering/nurturing role to you.

Confidant

This is the friend that you don't clean your house for. They know your mess, physical and mental and they love and accept you anyway. This friend has proven to you that they keep your information private and they don't tell anyone. These people are rare. If you find one, return the favor and consider yourself blessed.

Cheerleader

Who doesn't love a cheerleader? This person is shocked when you don't get the job or the second date or the acceptance letter because in their mind you are amazing. These people think you are awesome and will never hesitate to tell you that. A true cheerleader is not fake, they really believe in you.

Oldie but Goody

We all need someone in our life that knew us way back when. Sometimes this is our siblings, cousins, parents, neighbors, or friends we've had forever. This person has seen us in every season of our life and can be a great resource for remembering the past or seeing how far we've come in the present. These are usually the people that remind us how much we have overcome and tell us how proud of us they are. They can also knock us down a few pegs when we forget who we are and where we came from.

If you have these seven people in your life or several people who meet these needs, consider yourself part of a tribe. You will be protected, encouraged, reminded, loved, and you will laugh a lot. Life won't be easier and challenges will come, but you won't be alone. You will have your tribe. Call them, go to dinner, make the time to connect with them. Ask yourself who are you in other people's tribe? What do you have to offer back? And remember, we are all just humans and sometimes we need more than we give. When we need more, we should ask. When we are in a good place, it is time to ask how we can give back to the tribe.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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