001 Six Reasons to Listen to the 'You Were Made for This' Podcast

Thank you for joining us in today’s inaugural episode of You Were Made for This - Transforming Your Relationships into the Best They Can Be.
I want to share six reasons to listen to this podcast. Six benefits you can expect over time by being a regular listener.
1. This podcast is based on the premise that we are all made for relationships. Relationship is the “This” that You Were Made for. Since we are all made for relationships, it just makes sense to become as skilled as we can in this important area of our lives, so we can reap all the benefits relationships have to offer.
2. You’ll like our format. You’ll learn relationship skills and principles through stories. We’re really big on stories here at You Were Made for This. You will hear real-life relationship stories from our guests that illustrate best practices we can put into action in our own relationships.
Besides guest interviews, you’ll also learn about other relationship resources you may want to look into.
Each episode concludes with several things. You’ll hear the main point of each episode summarized in one sentence. It will be the big idea, the one takeaway from the program that if you forget everything else, you’ll remember this.
You’ll be given a suggested way to respond to the content of the program.
You’ll also learn what next week’s episode is about.
And finally, at the very end of each program you’ll hear a favorite relationship quote of mine, often followed with a brief commentary. This week I share a relationship story that illustrates the quote of the week.
That’s our format. You’re going to love it.
3. In talking about the podcast, you’ll notice “we” is used far more often than “I.” That’s because we are a community, a virtual community. You were made for a community of relationships.
This is an interactive podcast, where listeners write in or call-in, ask questions, and offer support to each other. It’s something you can be part of as we experience an important relational truth. That is, when we bring out the best in each other, we bring out the best in ourselves.
4. You’ll love one of our key principles of the the show. Namely, we are firm believers that the secret sauce of better relationships is doing less, not more.
5. Because we highly value the power of listening in strengthening relationships, You will learn to listen to people better when you listen to this podcast.
6. You’ll learn ways to improve your emotional and physical health. Almost all non-organic problems are relationship problems.
A July 19, 2018 article in the Wall Street Journal quotes a 2018 study by Cigna Health Insurance that “Loneliness has the same impact on mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
7. I know I said there were 6 reasons to listen to You Were Made for This, but I’ve always been terrible with math. So here’s reason number 7. Not only will you’ll learn more about relationships with people, but you’ll also learn more about other non-interpersonal relationships. Such as relationships with the world around us. With groups and organizations, with our jobs, with our stuff, with ourselves, with our culture, and many more relationships. Even our relationship with God, on occasion.
Which leads us to the take away from today’s program - our show in a sentence
Our relationships are so important to living a fulfilling life, that we serve ourselves well when we spend time and energy making those relationships the best they can be.
Response to today’s show
See what you can do to bring out the best in someone this week, and then see if you can tell how it brings out the best in you. You can post a comment in the box below, letting me know how that worked for you.  I may share it in a future episode.
Coming up
Next week we’ll be looking at a rarely considered family relationship that took me by surprise one day. You’ll find it encouraging when you listen in next time.
Before we close with the quote of the week I want to thank you for listening in today. If you found this podcast helpful, please subscribe to the show in iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d also appreciate it if you would leave an honest review.
When you write a review it helps us to serve more people by helping them discover the relationships they were made for.
Now, to close today’s program, here is our quote of the week:
Quote of the Week
“We’re all just walking each other home.” - Ram Dass
I conclude the show by sharing a relationship story from my book, THEM, that describes the quote of the week in action.
Resources mentioned on today’s show:
THEM - The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others
“People Who Don’t Need People,” Wall Street Journal. July 19, 2018, page A12