“If you’re not making someone else’s life better, then you’re wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.”  – Will Smith

Who is part of your support system?

Whose support system are you a part of?

How do you feel about relying on someone or someone relying on you?

For some, the idea of having to rely on another person is a sign of weakness, and for others, they know and understand that they can’t go it alone.

The reality is that no one can really go it alone. Regardless of how much the idea of ‘rugged individualism’ is admired and held up as hero worship, no one individual can survive, let alone thrive without the help or consideration of at least one other person.

The idea or even the world individual is only about 500 years old. Which, if you think about it, 500 years is not even and drop in the bucket of time. And the original meaning of the word is indivisible, describing a singular thing or object.

None of us is a singular object. We are all part of a greater system that relies on each other’s cooperation to survive. And we are also part of a greater ecosystem that we depend on whether we realize it or not. So, relying on someone else, or being a support system for another person is inherent to our true nature.

Actively creating a support system for yourself or participating in a support system for someone else is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your community. Now to be clear, I’m not suggesting you give all your time to others at the expense of your own progress but making yourself available when you can be is the role you must play to support the broader ecosystem.

So, look around you and acknowledge those that have supported you on your journey and then make a commitment to supporting those that you can. And keep in mind that while you are an individual, you’re still connected to the broader ecosystem, or perhaps said differently, a system that supports you.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please share it with one person you love.