3 months or every 3000 miles. It seems so simple, but I have to make a confession: I hate getting oil changes.
At least I used to, for the longest time, oil changes seemed like just another unnecessary chore that I had to get done off my list and it was something I was always putting off. I would look at the little sticker up in the corner of my windshield, which was reminding me that I was a good 2 months due, and it would put me in a bad mood.
But one day something changed. No, it wasn’t that my engine burned up and I had to pay thousands of dollars to replace it. It actually didn’t even register as significant when it happened, but one day, I was just pumping gas and I realized that I had no issue putting $50 of gas in my car to help it run for another week, but for some reason didn’t want to spend the same amount every few months to keep my car running for thousands of miles with an oil change.
Something wasn’t adding up.
The more I reflected though… I realized that what my real problem was, involved the fact that I knew that putting gas in my car was essential (anyone ever ran out of gas?)… but I believed that changing the oil was simply recommended and that I could get away with not doing it regularly.
And here’s where this relates to all of us, because it can be so easy to treat our relationships the same way. We all know the essential things that we have to do week in and week out to “fill up” relationships: spending time together, talking, laughing, etc. but its so easy to neglect to take the time and invest the money in the regularly scheduled maintenance for relationships.
And that’s what counseling is. Counseling, and specifically couples counseling, is the time for you take your “vehicle” (the relationship) into the shop, pop the hood, and make sure that everything is operating like the well-oiled machine that it’s supposed to. It’s the time and space for you to protect and care for one of the most precious aspects of our lives, which is our relationships. Think about it: at the end of the day, the quality of your life essentially boils down to the quality of your relationships with the people closest to you.
So here’s the thing to ask yourself: which of my relationships may be due for an oil change? Is there someone in your life that you’re currently experiencing friction or frustration with?
Your spouse?
A child?
A parent?
A friend?
Counselors are the trained professionals who have the knowledge and experience to help you get these relationships working in optimum condition. So what are you waiting for? Book an appointment to go see someone today!
For some more about this idea, and to learn some practical ways that this works check out our video here:
https://www.facebook.com/conniejoneslpc/videos/483990352511145/
-Jesse