Get in the Boat: Choosing Commitment

Get in the Boat: Choosing Commitment

Long-term relationships are like the open sea. Some days, the waters are calm, and the journey feels effortless. Other days, storms roll in, and the waves test your strength and resolve. The question is not if the storms will come; they always do. The question is, when they do, where will you be?

Mel Robbins reflects on this in her own 30-year marriage with a metaphor she attributes to her father, who, after 56 years of marriage, offered a simple truth: “Get in the boat.” It is more than advice for relationships. It is a call to action for how we show up in life.

When the waters get rough, it is tempting to grab a raft and drift away. Venting to friends, avoiding tough conversations, or pointing fingers instead of engaging feels easier. But that raft? It never takes you anywhere meaningful.

To “get in the boat” is to choose commitment over comfort. It means facing the waves together, not just with a partner but with every meaningful relationship in your life. It is about showing up when it feels uncomfortable, staying when you are tempted to leave, and working through challenges instead of running from them.

This mindset applies to friendships, family bonds, and even the relationship you have with yourself. How often do we avoid the hard work of connection and growth, retreating instead to blame or avoidance? The truth is transformation does not happen on the raft. It happens in the boat. It is in the stormy moments that we learn resilience, trust, and the beauty of navigating life’s messiness together.

Robbins’s metaphor reminds us that relationships worth having require effort. It is not about avoiding rough waters; it is about staying anchored to what matters when the waves rise. Choosing to stay in the boat is what deepens bonds, strengthens resolve, and leads to growth.

So, where are you? Are you on the raft, disconnected and complaining, or in the boat, present and committed? This question is not just about today; it is about the life you want to build.

The storms will come. You cannot control the weather, but you can choose who you row with, how you respond, and whether you stay in the boat. And when you do, you will discover the storm was not just something to endure; it was something that strengthened your connection and taught you to row together.

Because calm seas are always sweeter when you have weathered the storm. Get in the boat.

Save nothing for the next life.