It's an important exercise of both gratitude and self-care to remind ourselves of our daily supports. Some people refer to it as a support system which invites us to think of the many aspects within our environment that contribute to helping us live our best lives. The following is a breakdown of the support I find in my own life and an invitation to reflect on the ones you find in yours.
Practical Support:
I rely on lists as a practical way to support my busy schedule and help me keep focused. Lists assist me in making the most of my time because they help me organize my thoughts and create a cohesive plan. However, without the practical use of my smart phone and computer, many of my goals/tasks from my lists would be much more difficult to achieve. I recognize and appreciate the ways in which technology contributes to daily support in my life.
Physical Support:
These days, I'm finding a lot of support through my daily routine of nutrition, exercise, sleep and vitamins. It's not always easy in this busy life to make the time to eat right, exercise, rest properly and take the supplements our bodies need. Recently, after a back injury, I am more committed than ever to recognizing and following through with the physical support my body and brain need everyday. I am also relying on a chiropractor, a masseuse, an acupuncturist, a holistic doctor and a physical therapist to support the changing physical needs of my body. In many ways I am viewing my body more as a vessel to carry my spirit where it wants to go. But, in order to accomplish my goals, I must tune the vehicle and continually put fuel in the tank. Without the physical support of my daily routine, my body would certainly be stuck on the side of the road instead of driving toward my dreams!
Emotional Support:
My sources for emotional support include my family, friends, pets, co-workers, and support groups. My family has always been my greatest source of emotional support in my life and contribute to my life in many practical ways as well. No matter what happens or what I'm feeling, I know there is always a family member who will love me and help me work through the challenge. However, because I live far away from them, I also recognize and appreciate the many ways in which my friends and co-workers support me in moments of need. Often finding a compassionate ear to listen is the best support we can hope for in realizing and living our best lives; for this reason, I also seek and receive support from therapists and support groups.
Spiritual Support:
Many people receive support from their spiritual practices and religious beliefs. I view my spiritual support in terms of meditation or prayer time, time sitting still in nature, and reading The Daily Word or another devotional. I do not practice a specific religion, but recognize and appreciate the need to connect with the universe and my spiritual faith if I want to keep on my spirit's highest path. In my mind, this type of support in my daily life leads to more inspiration, motivation, creativity and compassion.
Through the second part of this exercise, I recognize how important it is to be able to look ahead, identify a challenge and immediately begin working on envisioning a support system to help you accomplish your goal. A challenge that I imagine for myself in the future is doing more public speaking. In order to accomplish that step in my career, I will need some practical advise on voice control, body language awareness, and enunciation of my speech. I will also need the practical support of a microphone or headset to allow everyone in the room to hear me clearly. I will need the physical support of my daily routine and especially a good night's sleep the night before so that I'm alert and focused. Because public speaking makes me very nervous, I will want the emotional support of my family and friends calming my nerves and cheering me on. I may also want to seek advice from a mentor or another professional in the field for tips. Certainly, I will want the spiritual support of prayer to aid my confidence and keep me from passing out. Without all of these types of support working in conjunction in my daily life, I would find it hard to imagine that I would accomplish my goal. It is so important to realize that whatever it is we want to do in life, it is next to impossible without support.
