What if You Had a Village... Supporting Your Health?

Have you ever stopped to think about what support really means?

We talk about support all the time when it comes to reaching our health and fitness goals.

We talk about accountability.

We talk about motivation.

We talk about having people who cheer us on.

But I think we often gloss over what true support actually looks like.

Support isn't just having someone say, “I'm proud of you!” or “You've got this!”

Those things are wonderful.

But true support is help.

Support is something, or someone, that makes reaching your goal a little bit easier.  Somthing that takes some of the mental, physical or emotional load off your shoulders.

I recently hired a virtual assistant and operations person to help with some of the administrative tasks in my business and create more streamlined back-end systems, and I was immediately reminded how important support is.

My goal is to help more people.

But getting there requires a LOT of things to happen behind the scenes.

Details to track. 

Tasks that need to get done. 

Systems to build.

Deadlines to remember.

And honestly, I didn't realize just how much mental space all of that was taking up until someone else started helping me carry it.

There is something incredibly freeing about knowing that someone else is helping make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

I'm still responsible for my business.

I'm still working toward the same goals.

But I don't have to carry all of it by myself.

That's support.

And it made me think about how often we expect ourselves to accomplish our health goals while carrying the entire load ourselves, too.

Think about why so many families eventually move back closer to “home.”

It's not just because they love being near family - though we do love them.

It's because help matters.

Grandparents who can pick up the kids.

A sibling who can help when things get crazy.

Someone who can pitch in on a week when you're stretched thin.

There really is a reason they say:

It takes a village.

So what if you had a village supporting your health?

What might that look like?

Maybe it's a friend who wants to go for a walk or a bike ride with you instead of always meeting for dinner and drinks.

A family member who is willing to pick up the kids on Tuesday nights so you can stop at the gym on your way home from work.

Your spouse agreeing that you're not going to keep the sweets in the house while you're working toward your weight-loss goal.

Asking someone else to help with dinner or dishes one night a week so you have the energy to take care of yourself.

And maybe, true support can happen by simply being bold enough to say to the people around you…

“This goal is important to me because… And here's a way you can help.”

There's also another kind of support that we too often forget about.

The support we give ourselves.

How are you supporting your body to help accomplish your health goals?

Are you drinking enough water?

Feeding it the nutrients it needs to help your brain think clearly, your muscles build and recover, and your joints move better?

Giving your body the building blocks it needs to actually make the changes you're asking it to make?

Because we can't expect our bodies to continually perform, adapt, recover and change if we're not giving them the internal support they need to do it.

Sometimes that support can be external too.

Maybe it's wearing compression socks when you know you'll be on your feet all day.

Using a foam roller or getting a massage when you've overworked your body - before you're so stiff and sore that you can barely move.

Still committing to movement, but choosing mobility work instead of pushing through a tough workout because your body is telling you it needs something different today.

Support doesn't always mean doing more.

Sometimes support means making things easier.

That's one of the ideas behind the “Nourish & Energize” pillar of my online program The Revitalize Method™.

It's not simply about what or how much you eat.

It's about asking:

"What can I do so that I have the energy, and my body has the tools, to support my goals? How can I help make it easier to keep moving toward them - physically, mentally and emotionally?"

So this week, I'd love for you to think about support a little differently.

Look around you and note - 

Where are you already being supported?

Who is helping make your life, or your health goals, a little easier?

Take a moment to be grateful.

Thank them for that support.

And then ask yourself -

Where could I use a little more help?

Maybe there's something you've been carrying alone that you don't actually have to.

Maybe it's time to ask for help.

Because you don't have to do everything yourself.

And sometimes the next step toward your goal isn't finding more motivation, more discipline or more willpower.

Sometimes it's simply finding more support.

And that might be the thing that makes the difference.