Do you ever look back on your life and think man, that feels like a lifetime ago? It’s interesting to me that although I feel like the “core” of me is the same, I am so different from who I was twenty, or even five years ago. My goals, dreams and priorities have changed, and my relationships with others, and myself, have grown and evolved.
One of those changes is how I view support. Strange that as a nurse who based her career on supporting others, I viewed needing or wanting support as a weakness. And I don’t like feeling “weak”. The story I told myself is that I could do it on my own, I didn’t need anyone or their “help”, and I was “strong”. How foolish
First, nobody can do everything alone. The most successful people, in whatever way you want to define success, have others in their corner, supporting them. The other thing I learned about support, perhaps the most important of all, is that asking and seeking support makes the journey better, rich with connection, contributing to a full, enhanced, juicier life. And don’t we all want that?.
Family and friends, mentors, and coaches are all sources of support that I utilize in different areas of my life now. I’ve been enrolled in a coaching certification program for the last six months which has really ramped up my awareness of what support is and is not (advice giving is not by the way, unless it’s specifically requested) as well as what types of support I need when, and how to get what I need which ultimately helps me REALLY get what I want.
And I’ve learned that the chosen support people like to support me. Shocking, right? It’s a win-win for everyone.
As I launch my own coaching business, I plan to discuss support with each of my clients. So, imagine, if you will, that you’re in a coaching session with me, being supported by me, and I ask “What does support mean to you? What type of support do you need to get what it is you REALLY want”?
How would you answer?
Tracey Purvis
Tracey is a Life Coach, Speaker, Author, and Psychiatric Nurse with over twenty years experience. She specializes in helping her clients overcome obstacles and live their best life. Tracey’s eBook Gratitude Reciprocates tells her story of surviving a brain tumour and finding healing in gratitude.