Calling my family members, or anyone for that matter, is outside my normal routine. Unlike me, my spouse gives a lot of his time to his friends and family, going on long calls with them. I admire him for that.
I tend to put my family and relationships second to my ambitions. At least lately. But as my ambitions grow, so do my values. I want to be a better person. I want to have better relationships with my family.
I’m also on this idea, lately, that the biggest ROI in life is people. But I’m not a natural people person. So I’ve been focusing on improving my relationships.
The Calls
First, I called my brother. My brother is someone I’ve always wanted to be close to. However, he is far cooler than me and I’m not sure how much he enjoys my company. So calling him was a little uncomfortable. What would I say? What would he want to talk to me about?
But maybe calling him could be the start of us getting closer. I could push through the discomfort and start to get to know him better. Maybe, eventually it will be natural. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer. But I will try again.
Next, I called my cousin- another family member I’d like to be closer with. I kept it short and sweet because she was watching a show with her husband. But she was happy to hear from me.
Last, I called my mother in law. My MIL and I get along great. But, as with most of my relationships, I don’t call her ever. Even though I know she likes keeping in touch with family. So I gave her a call. We had a good talk and caught up. She seemed really happy that I called her! That made me happy.
At Worst Pleasant, And At Best Amazing
In conclusion, calling my family didn’t seem to annoy anyone. And it made my MIL really happy. And the great thing about calling is that if people don’t want to talk, they don’t have to answer. So you can’t really annoy anyone without their permission.
I wonder how often is too often to call people? Maybe my expert phone calling spouse knows.