I love teamwork, just ask anyone who knows me. I enjoy bouncing my ideas off others or adding my thoughts to other people’s ideas. For years, I have heard the expression, “No man (or woman) is an island.” What this means to me is, we need each other. I thrive when I have an emotional support team on my side. It makes me feel loved, cared for, connected, secure and safe. Plus, I laugh more, cry more and have more ahhh haaa moments when I am with a team.
My connections to other people creates a safety net for me. Having a team allows me to fall without failing. I trust these people enough that I can be my real self with them. I know they have my back. Now that does not mean they will always agree with what I am doing or saying. What it means is they will not, on purpose, throw me under the bus.
I have always said, “You Act Like Who You Hang With.” If you want to be happy, hang around happy people. If you want to be nice, hang with nice people. If you do not want to eat so much processed food, hang with people who enjoy planning and preparing healthy meals. In other words, find people who are already behaving the way you want to behave. Let some of their energy rub off onto you. Group energy can be extremely powerful when used for good.
Now finding these people to be a part of your emotional support team is not always easy. I have a very strict rule about who can and can not be on my emotional support team. For example, just because someone is my family or my best friend does not mean they are my best supporter. I have a dear friend who loves junk food. That friend will not be on my support team because I do not want to eat junk food. Their behavior goes against my goals. It does not mean they are a bad person, it just means my team members need to be 100% supporters of me and my goals. Again, this does not mean they will agree with everything I say or do. But, they need to support me in reaching my goals.
Once I have picked my possible team supporters, I ask myself these questions:
Do I trust them completely?
Do I feel safe telling them anything?
Will they judge me if I fall?
If I keep falling will they categorize me as a failure?
Will they appreciate my honesty?
I encourage you to get a support team together for yourself. If you do not know people who fit this criterion then take the time to meet people who can and will be there for you. Ask yourself, what three places you can go to start meeting people who can be a part of your team. Don’t forget to include me in your search! Julie@woodworkerlifecoaching.com
