It has been a year of isolation so I wanted to provide a mood booster to remind us how interconnected we all are. Sometimes, it is easy to feel alone, or to feel like you have to carry the load on your own with a smile and never show a single drop of sweat or moment of struggle. Lately, I have been hearing from friends and clients that we are completely depleted. It can be reassuring to recall all the different ways in which others help out. It also allows you the opportunity to see where there are holes in how much support you are getting and giving.
Journal Prompts
How I support myself:
How my family supports me:
How my friends support me:
How my employer supports me:
How my community supports me:
How my country supports me:
How strangers support me:
Areas where I am still lacking support (I may have no support, or I may have some, but still need more)
How can I find more support for these areas?
How I support others? Would I feel better if I supported others more or less? Sometimes the load is too heavy to carry and we need to help less, and at other times we derive purpose and meaning from helping others.
I thought some examples may help you generate ideas that are less obvious…
How I support myself: these are often mundane tasks like getting the mail, personal hygiene, going to medical appointments and more fun things like engaging in personal development, fun projects and cheering yourself on
How my family supports me: lessons you learned growing up, experiences you had
How my friends support me: listening is key here, having strong social supports is key to longevity and overall health
How my employer supports me: financial supports are obvious here, but there may also be social or mental health benefits at work that draw on your special talents or opinions
How my community supports me: online message boards, events, people report local issues or opportunities online such as sales, gas prices, weather alerts and traffic issues
How my country supports me: there may be many services that you aren’t tapping in to at right now, tax dollars get spent to plant trees, keep roads paved, keep drinking water safe, children get educated so that they can grow up and be a part of your community
How strangers support me: online communities, strangers holding the door open for you, medical advances that you benefit from, other drivers on the road paying attention, right now lots of people are self-isolating to keep you from getting sick
Areas where I am still lacking support (I may have no support, or I may have some, but still need more): I would put items here that really drain your energy.
How can I find more support for these areas? Reach out to the people you were thinking of when you filled out all the ways that you are supported. You can ask for help, or use your resources to give back.
ZenwithGwen 