A Love Note to the Families we Build
Over this past July 4th weekend, I was thinking about family. Not the matching-flag-shirts-on-the-boat, five-kids-named-after-presidents kind (although, honestly, good for them). We’re talking about your kind of family. The one you were born into, the one you found, the one that meets on Zoom at 8:59, and the one that drops off soup when you’re sick without asking questions.
At KR Squared, we’re lucky to have both: incredible families at home, and a workplace that somehow feels like a group chat brought to life. But here’s the truth: family isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s not just who shares your DNA, it’s who shows up. And research backs this up:
According to Pew Research, 61% of adults say family is what makes life meaningful, and that includes spouses, kids, parents and chosen family like close friends or mentors.
A 2022 Gallup poll found that friends and coworkers often fulfill emotional support roles traditionally associated with family. Translation? Your work wife = your real-life lifeline.
And in one of our favorite stats, people with strong social bonds (family or otherwise) are 50% more likely to live longer (source: Harvard Health). So text your group chat. It’s good for your health.
This time of year tends to crank up togetherness and that’s beautiful. But it can also be a reminder that family looks different for everyone. Some of us had barbecues with 30 cousins. Some hiked solo with a podcast and called that peace. Others lit sparklers with roommates-slash-soulmates, or popped into work to make sure the project stays on track.
So here’s your reminder: Your family is whoever makes you feel seen, safe, and slightly more human.
Whether it’s your birth family, your blended one, your work crew, your ride-or-dies, or that one friend who always brings the extra charger, hold them close or text them silly emojis. Same thing.
From our KR Squared fam to yours:
Hope you had a happy fourth.
