If He's Right For You, He Will COMPLEMENT Your Life
"In marriage, the man and woman must complement each other."—Lailah Gifty Akita
Complement: something that completes or makes perfect
In a lot of my articles, you'll see Scripture. That is both intentional and unapologetic because, like I tell some of the people in my world who aren't Christian, if you just apply the Book of Proverbs (which is simply a book of wisdom and common sense) to your life for a month, it'll make your way of life better. Religion aside, there are some real gems in the Word. Simple as that.
Take the second book of Genesis, for example. It's where you are able to see how Adam and Eve got together. If you read a particular version of Genesis 2:18, it's got a word in it that truly stands out—"Now the Lord God said, It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him." (AMPC) Off the rip, we're able to see that if someone is truly right for us, they will be suitable (becoming), adapted (flexible) and complementary (more on that in just a sec) for us.
Interestingly enough, that verse doesn't say anything about fine, rich or good in bed. Not that those aren't OK too, but a lot of us get tripped up (if not flat-out heartbroken) because we put the icing before the cake, so to speak.
We'd rather "he" be fine instead of suitable, rich before adapted and good in bed before complementary. I know, firsthand, that too much icing can make you sick. Sick and tired, if you want to be really real about it.
That's why I wanted to take out, just a few moments of your time, to explore the word "complement" for just a moment. My hope is, whether you just met someone who tickles your fancy, you've been dating a guy for a few months now or you feel like who you're seeing really could be the one, but you need a few more signs, this will help to provide some of the clarity that you need. So that you'll know whether to move forward or…to take a few steps back (or away).
And just how can you know if a man truly complements your life?
Your Complement Will Upgrade Your Life
I adore music and, since I'm a words of affirmation kind of gal, I'm all about the lyrics. If you listen to Beyonce's "Upgrade U" really closely, you'll hear the word "complement" used in it. Where? Here: "When you're in the big meetings for the mills/That's a good look/You take me just to complement the deal/That's a good look". What I dig about this part—the entire song, really—is it shows that when someone truly complements another person, the complementing applies across the board. You can just skim articles like "Jay-Z and Beyoncé Are Now Worth a Combined $1.255 Billion -- and Counting" see that, together, Jay and Bey enhance and literally enrich each other's lives both personally as well as professionally. Just as a true complement is supposed to do.
Am I saying that unless a man is rolling in the dough that he's not a good fit? Of course not. Rich folks break-up just as much as broke people do. But what I am saying is what Beyonce sang is something that should really stick close to home while you're in the process of doing all of your assessing.
When someone upgrades your life, they improve it. They will also cause the quality of your life to be on a steady incline. Due to their influence, you should be able to see these results in not just one but all areas.
Ole' boy—since he's been around, has he helped you to improve how you move in your purpose? Can you tell that you are only growing and evolving on a spiritual and emotional level? The cool thing about both of these questions is they don't really warrant a "grey" response; it's black or white because either he is (yes) or he isn't (no). Which is it, sis?
Your Complement Will Make Your World Better
Even though Fabolous still warrants a bit of a side-eye as far as I'm concerned (if you read in between the lines, you can probably guess where I am coming from), there is a joint that he recorded along with Ne-Yo back in the day that I've always liked; it's also quite fitting for what I'm talking about—"You Make Me Better": "I'm a movement by myself/But I'm a force when we're together/Mami, I'm good all by myself/But baby, you, you make me better".
Yaaas. What's so dope about the hook is Ne-Yo said that he was straight even before his girl came along. He's a movement all on his own, but with her? Then he becomes a force. That actually reminds me of a T-shirt that I've seen on the Tees in the Trap site that says, "Be a Boss. Marry a Boss. Build an Empire Together." All of this is a reminder that if you want a man to complement you in the best way possible, you need to be good all on your own first. Then, once he arrives, he becomes an additional driving force to make you better.
And better? Better is a really big word! It means that he will come along and make you more virtuous (that's a mouthful right there!), more excellent…he will help to increase the good qualities that you already have.
I don't know about you, but I've been with men who have brought out the best in me, then I've been with those who brought out the absolute worst. I have accepted that my true complement is going to strengthen me and compel me to be the best woman I can be. That's literally what a driving force does. That's literally what someone making you better is all about.
Your Complement Will Complete You (Just Not in the Way That You Think)
When Tom Cruise, as Jerry Maguire, looked his wife in the eyes and said, "You complete me", it's probably one of the most memorable lines in a chick flick. Some people heard it and were moved. Others heard it and wanted to gag. I see both sides.
Do I think that an individual is to complete another person? Eh. Not in the way that it is usually taught or defined. Personally, I don't believe that you are fractionated or broken without having a man in your life. But what I do feel is that the context of how I took "complete me" in the film is lost on a lot of folks.
If you've never seen Jerry Maguire before, Jerry's assistant-turned wife Dorothy (played by Renee Zellweger) was holding him down and having his back in ways that he truly took for granted until his one-man company scored a win and she wasn't there to celebrate with him. When he went back to her house to say, "You complete me", I took that to mean that she was his "bashert" which is the Hebrew word for his "meant to be". Time had revealed to him that she was a woman of good character, that she was loyal and dependable, and that she brought things into his life that he didn't know were missing—until she arrived.
When the right man complements you, he completes you in the sense that you truly feel like you are "lacking nothing" (one definition of complete) with him around. It's not that you were "needy" for him before; it's just that now that he's here, all that you need in a relationship—and even some of what you want—exists. To me, that is a healthy way to want someone to complete you.
Your Complement Will “Balance You Out”
Lord, have mercy, y'all. Can we just have a moment of silence followed immediately by some roaring applause for the word "balance"? I promise you that the older—and hopefully wiser—that I get, the more I want to have a life of balance.
One definition of balance is "equilibrium" and one definition of that is "equanimity". What exactly is equanimity? Let's all get free—"mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium". For the cheap seats all the way in the back (or the super hardheaded ladies that constantly stay in a state of emotional instability due to the drama in their relationships), let me just reiterate the fact that if you are in a relationship with someone who truly complements you, this means they will bring balance to your life. That means they won't do anything that triggers you to become mentally or emotionally unstable. They won't bring tension or strain to your spirit. You will have a sense of calm when they are in your presence. How do I know? Because—get this—a synonym for complement is balance.
A writer by the name of Rachel Hollis once said, "It's usually our opposites who complement us best, because they're the only ones who can balance us out." That's another way of saying that opposites attract. I've done enough counseling to not think that is always the case (every couple is different), but what I will say is your best complement will challenge you to become better; however, they will do it in such a way where your mental and emotional stability and sanity will remain firmly intact. Full stop.
With Your Complement, You Can Rest
And finally, guess what another synonym for complement is? Rest. Rest, honey. A verb tense of rest is "to lay or place for rest, ease, or support". A noun one is "refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor".
I'm a marriage life coach who has interesting conversations with licensed counselors and therapists all of the time. One topic that continually comes up is what we all feel about the statement, "Relationships are a lot of work." Although some relationships are (especially the ones who didn't make finding their complement a top priority in the beginning), the word that I think we all should strive for is maintenance. I say that because when something (or one) is a lot of work, that means it is literally a lot of exertion or labor. When something (or one) is more in the lane of being maintenance, it's more about supporting, affirming and preserving it. "It" is already good, mind you. You're just doing your part to keep it in its already healthy state.
And yes, when a relationship is already good, when you are with your true complement, you don't find yourself feeling like you are constantly exerting yourself or that it is mad laborious on a daily basis. You can rest in it because there is an atmosphere of ease. You can literally woosah in your man's space because he's a source of peace.
So sis, if you're seriously looking for confirmation on who Mr. Right is, don't sleep on the word "complement"; not for a second. Your complement will cause you to thrive and help you to chill simultaneously. And really, how hot—sexy, fulfilling and oh so right—is that?
Featured image by Getty Images
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Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next June (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images