You don’t need to go through life alone. The support you can receive from family, friends, or a community can guide you through difficult times. The same support system is also there to keep you on track to meet a goal and celebrate when you succeed. Support systems are vital parts of your relationship with yourself and others.
Support Systems
What is a support system? A meaningful support system includes people who respect, care, and support you in your path through life. The people you can count on no matter what is happening are your support system.
Think beyond the numerous friendships or connections you have with the people in your life. Consider how deep some of your relationships are. You can have several friends, but the depth of some friendships goes beyond hanging out or sharing surface stories — stories that don’t require emotional depth.
Do specific relationships link you to your professional and personal life? Relationships that can guide you through professional and personal connections are essential to your well-being. Often, your behaviors in one realm affect the other. A person who can provide the guidance and support you need to work through and process any crisis is vital to your personal and professional lives.
Building a Healthy Support System
Maybe you discovered you don’t have the support from friends or loved ones you thought existed. Creating a solid support system takes time and patience. Luckily, you can still build one. Some initial steps to building a support system include:
- Identify the roadblocks you created: Recognition of the obstacles in the path of a support system is a step towards finding people who will respect, support, and care about you. If you aren’t sure how to begin or need help with emotions like low self-esteem, depression, or anxiety, you can see a therapist.
- Join a group: People who share your interests or have the same values can bolster your self-confidence. Your group can also provide ideas and lessons. For example, if you join a group focused on maintaining sobriety, you can listen and share.
- Communicate your needs: A vital part of establishing a solid support system is communicating what you want from a relationship. You can constantly shift or change your priorities or needs as you grow and mature. However, without communication, people won’t know how to support your endeavors.
- Be kind to yourself: Everyone deserves kindness and compassion. Forgive your mistakes and do the same for others. The people in your support system may need time to understand or learn how to help you.
Use your revelations about yourself to strengthen existing and form new connections with people. Reach out, stay connected, and ask for the help you need. You may be surprised to realize how many people respect, support, and care for you.
A support system comes from knowing your strengths and weaknesses. The relationships you form with others can play into your strengths and help you grow. Developing a solid support system is a matter of understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and needs and communicating them. Maybe you want to make changes in your relationships or decrease the obstacles that block you from having a support system. The Guest House’s therapists can help you. You’ll find the comfort of our estate, nestled in Florida, a perfect location to heal and learn. Call us at (855) 483-7800.