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Welcome to Sync + Thrive, the bi-weekly newsletter helping couples strengthen their relationship through shared health. Every Friday, we share real-life reflections and actionable insights. If you were forwarded this message, sign up here.
Something from Friday stayed with us all weekend, and we noticed it in a conversation we had recently with a young couple carrying a lot at once. Building a business, raising kids, managing careers, and keeping a marriage alive in the margins of everything else. Nothing about the way they described their life felt rehearsed or polished.
He's up at 5 in the morning working on their business before his shift starts, back at it again after work ends. She's taking clients, managing the home, caring for their kids, and pregnant with their third, all while keeping their shared vision moving forward. They're young enough to still have the energy for it, but you could see the mental weight of it sitting just beneath the surface.
They are deeply purposeful about what they're building together, and the pressure of it is just as real: growing a business, growing a family, and carrying the financial weight of both.
What struck us wasn't their ambition. It's not about working harder or wanting it more. It's about two people who are fully committed, but haven't yet stopped to ask what they need from each other to sustain it.
The best HR advice comes from people who’ve been in the trenches.
That’s what this newsletter delivers.
I Hate it Here is your insider’s guide to surviving and thriving in HR, from someone who’s been there. It’s not about theory or buzzwords — it’s about practical, real-world advice for navigating everything from tricky managers to messy policies.
Every newsletter is written by Hebba Youssef — a Chief People Officer who’s seen it all and is here to share what actually works (and what doesn’t). We’re talking real talk, real strategies, and real support — all with a side of humor to keep you sane.
Because HR shouldn’t feel like a thankless job. And you shouldn’t feel alone in it.
This Week's Reset
You've already explored what's possible. This week, you make one possibility real, and we're starting with your health.
Pick the "what if" question that resonates most and make it yours:
"What if we designed a rhythm that actually gave us both more energy?"
"What if supporting each other's health felt less like a sacrifice and more like a strategy?"
"What if we protected one thing this week that restored us instead of drained us?"
All it takes is one honest conversation, so sit down together for ten minutes and finish this sentence:
"By this Sunday, we will _______________."
One thing, specific and real, something that restores instead of demands.
"By this Sunday, we will protect one meal together, no logistics, no screens, just us."
"By this Sunday, we will take 20 minutes to move together, not to perform, just to reset."
"By this Sunday, we will each share the one thing that would make this week feel more sustainable."
"The objective is not to be done, but to settle into a daily lifestyle you can sustain and that allows you to make daily progress on the areas that matter."
When you think about building healthier habits together, what's true for you?
🤝 Couple's Check-In Prompt
Notice how you each naturally show up and let that work for you,
not against you.
Every couple brings different energy to moments like this, and that's exactly what makes it work.
For the partner that plans, this gives you a clear, bounded action without requiring the full vision yet.
For the spontaneous partner, you get to decide how it feels, pick the playlist, choose the spot, and make it something you both actually want to show up for.
Sync Your Wellness
You're already doing the hard part. This is just the part you get to do together.
💛 Jaylene + Aaron, Sync + Thrive Team
P.S…New here? Start with this: Design Your Year Together
If you have a requested topic to be discussed regarding couples health strategies, email us at [email protected] and let us know.