Ultimately – what matters are the relationships with those closest to us

By Nina Steele 

The older I get, the more passionate I am about inspiring others to live their life with courage. For, ultimately, courage is what we need in order to live a happy and fulfilled life.

As a teenager, I was teased for having a deep voice. I remember trying to lower my voice, so I wasn’t mistaken for a man. Needless to say that I now consider my voice to be a gift, not a flaw. Indeed, how fitting, considering the path I now find myself on!

I like nothing more than to help others feel good about themselves. What I have come to realise however, is that often, people who like to help others, tend to focus more on those outside of their close circle. The logic behind this, is the assumption that those closest to us already know how much we care about them.

The closest person to me is my husband, and although we have a great relationship, at times, I have been too focused on my work to the point of obsession.

Of course, it is great to have a passion and other interests other than one’s spouse or partner, or whoever else is closest to you. However, I had to remind myself that ultimately, my relationship with my husband is what will be left when for whatever reasons, I am no longer able to do what I do.

We have all heard stories of relationships in which either one of those involved or both, have been too busy with work at the expense of the relationship. I suppose, ultimately, it boils down to what matters to each and every one.

It is not uncommon to find people who value their work more than their relationship, if they can be bothered to have a relationship at all. Isaac Newton who was childless and who some consider to be “one of the greatest scientific minds of all time”, was one such people.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, because I am changing continuously. What triggered this latest soul-searching, was the fact that I felt completely overwhelmed with work recently, and my husband ended up being on the receiving end of my foul mood. This left me feeling bad, and I knew that some things would have to change.

Yes, I am passionate about what I do, and feel blessed to be able to do it. However, I am also blessed to share my life with a man who is kind and caring and whom I love very much, and I am constantly reminded of the value of that relationship.