A young lady who wanted to be super independent frequently made the statement to her family “Everyone should do for themselves in the house. I don’t need help”. This young lady grew to be very accomplished in her goals and when she gave a speech to giving thanks, she recognized, at that moment, the community of family that supported her through school, provided shelter, encouragement, patience, and direction, were inevitable factors in helping her to be where she was in that moment.
So, the above scenario is provided, not to make anyone who does not have this level of support feel short-changed. It is more to encourage one to understand the importance of a support system and creating a support system that serves on one’s life.
The first community a person comes to know is, usually, the family of origin. In a general sense, that family, starting with the mom and dad, serves to support by providing love, shelter, reassurance, life lessons, encouragement, discipline, and the list goes on. We all know that, in many instances, people have not had this display of support due to some form of family dysfunction or tragedy.
A person who has a balanced support system makes a difference in how they present in the world and how they honor themselves in many instances. Because everyone has not been born into or maintained in stable and supportive environments, understanding ways to CREATE a support system is imperative! Please take note of these ideas:
- -Finding ways to support self can be empowering. Self-support can look like providing yourself with practices or rituals you notice personally nourish you. From meditating to intentionally doing something for yourself to reading or listening to something inspiring, all can build one’s value and self-worth.
- -Creating a network of people around you may also require ending relationships or placing boundaries on relationships that have proven to be damaging to you.
- -Emotional support animals have a place of comfort and puts value in the statement “a dog is a man’s best friend”. Dogs can support women as well and cats and other pets can be comforting as well: It just depends on your flavor!!
At the end of the day, support should be uplifting, encouraging, a thing you can lean on yet does not serve as a crutch preventing you from advancing in life. Support helps to make you better and more whole.
