Support: Everyone Needs It.



Whhheeewww!! It's been awhile since I last wrote.... Well, I've typed up two posts and never posted them... I told you all this was a form of psychotherapy for me. I wrote out this LONG post, and then slept on it, woke up, and blushed at what I was reading... blushing of embarassment. Thank GOD, mother earth, whatever you believe in that I didn't post it.
--Anyways--
I am in the mood to touch on 'support' and what it means to have it, what happens when you don't and what is it to you and I.
I am going to be interviewed tomorrow via phone for 5-7 minutes on National Television. Some of you may know that I worked for an event based 'Transformational Speaking Company' basically, my boss traveled the world trying to enlighten people who were interested in being enlightened through the power of positive thinking. We held events that were as simple as getting to know 'you' and learning to ride the wave of ups and downs in your life, as opposed to striving for balance across the board. Events on the other side of the spectrum would be more spiritual based, rebirthing, cleansing, releasing, etc. Best job I've had until the one I have now. I felt valued, I was able to be me, my work-life balance was peaking, and all in all I was mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. Unfortunately, there was a tragic, unforseen, unfortunate accident at one of our more involved events, a few people lost their lives, and I in turn lost my job the day before my birthday. Its been over a year since this has happened and the owner of the company is now on trial facing 3 counts of manslaughter. All of us working there lost our jobs, some jumped ship before we even knew what was going to happen while others, like me, were hopelessly positive that we would rise from the devistation. A lot of people lost their jobs and were abruptly forced into unemployment. The whole situation was bad... People losing their lives being the worst.
Needless to say, over a year later the trial has begun and in the interim there's been a lot of people and press speaking out against the owner, the employees, and industry. I have yet to see anything relatively positive. I received an e-mail from a TV station that specializes in the coverage of high profile trials, and they asked me my thoughts and opinions. Apparently, I offered a new view, so tomorrow I will, hopefully, bring an opinion and outlook that has yet to be seen in regards to the owner, the company, and the industry.
All of the above leads me to the topic of support. Am I scared about tomorrow? Uhhh....yeah... I don't want any of the family of the people who passed at the event to think of me as some renegade supporter and ex employee who is diminishing the severity of the situation and the memory of their loved ones. This is not the case.
How many times have you been somewhere and wanted to say something or wanted make a comment, or ask a question and you didn't?? And then someone else asks, comments, or says what you were thinking and you took a breath of relief? Someone finally said or asked what you wanted...I haven't had too many of those times in my life.. and those who know me, know this is true..I generally ask, comment, and speak when I think it's fitting (and in my head... it's almost always a fitting time..haha) So, I will stand true to who I have always been and I will share my positive experience that changed my life that otherwise may have never happened had I not worked for this company, and met the people I met while doing so. The owner of the company is still pod-casting and speaking about enlightenment via the web here and there and seems to be doing well, but deep down... he needs support. I believe he's getting it, but there's nothing wrong with letting someone know that "Hey, while you may be in this terrible situation living with the fact that 3 people died under your watch, and you are potentially taking the blame and are going to prison forever, your work made an impact on my life, and if it made an impact on mine... I know it made it impact on a ton of others." I truly feel like this is one of those moments in my life that if I don't speak up, it will forever haunt me that I didn't stand up and say something when it might really count.
And speaking of support for my old boss, how about the support I got on facebook? That's so great...to have someone tell me that I am going to be great, is the support that I need, and I am so thankful for. Everyone needs it--
I feel often times that attention is focused on details that hinder someones advancement, as opposed to the details that push them to strive for more and work harder... does that make sense? It's really easy to see a girlfriend of yours losing weight and to think 'Well, it took her 6 months and a trainer, I don't have that time or money' as opposed to saying 'Wow!! She looks great!! And only 6 months and she committed to a trainer, I need to start thinking about something like that, or I should ask her for some tips." I learned at the said company that I needed to "celebrate my successes" more... I cringed at the thought of this. As much as it may not seem like it... I am not a big fan of praise, it's very hard for me to take a compliment, or praise, and to celebrate it. I get red in the face and look away, and deny it... replace what should be a simple 'thank you' with something sarcastic and off topic. This isn't the way................this isn't the way I want to be. How can I be a great supporter if I can't accept it myself?  How do you show your support? I think my preferred way to show support, is to follow up. I may not talk, email, or text people all the time, but when I am told something like an event they're training for, a house they were looking to buy, the last few pounds they have till their goal weight, etc.. I like to follow up with them and send a text or make a lunch break call to remind them that I remember, and I am rooting for them.
All the ways we support people and all the ways we are supported build our character. If we never heard praise, we wouldn't know what to work for right? We wouldn't know right from wrong as children? We wouldn't have compassion and all the traits that make us good partners to someone.
I think it's pretty easy: Be supportive, be supported.