I don’t know about you but as I get older I become more aware of people’s purpose in my life. I certainly don’t say that from the perspective of what I can get from or out of someone, but more from the perspective of the value they bring into my life.
As I delve deeper into the concept of self-care and the pieces that need to be in place for continued success, I am quite cognizant of how those around me are contributors to my health and well-being.
On a bi-monthly basis my team and I take turns facilitating team meeting where we bring different topics that are of interest to us that we wish to share with each other. Today one of my co-workers brought forward the topic of agile leadership and the importance of having a support system or network of people who support your growth. Now while our conversation was focused on the work environment and professional development, she posed a question that even as I write this blog has hit me quite profoundly and that is “who sits on your Board of Directors?”
Now I am not talking about a traditional Board of Directors that you would find in a not-for-profit or Fortune 500 company – I am talking about the people around you that support, empower and challenge your mandate for health and well-being. In a document that was also provided to facilitate the conversation it provided a description of the various positions that made up your board such as your “cheer leader” “wise counsellor” “peer support” and mentor…and it got me thinking – while I am in charge of my self-care, the effort in which I put into myself is also enabled by those who’s energy, power, support, honesty and love I garner.
Like real talk – who sits as a member of your Board of Directors? While self-care is driven by our desire to create a better version of ourselves, like a car or any moving mechanism, it also requires the support and positive interaction of key parts – in this case those around you. I could and would never speak of the success of my self-care without acknowledging those who sit as active and engaged members of my Board. On the flip side to that – the relationship I have with myself has set the tone for the relationship I have with members of my Board (so basically I love them cause I LOVE my damn self…lol).
Those who we invite into our lives are the human manifestation of how we value our own self-care. Clearly this is not a perfect science and there are always exceptions to the rule but I would ask anyone reading this to think about who sat on your Board during a bad period in your life and who sat on your Board during a good period in your life and see if those people are the same? Again not a perfect science but I am also almost sure that many of those that were either feeding you negative shit or keeping you in a negative space didn’t become your “cheerleader” when you decided to change your journey to one of self-love, self-worth and self-care.
It’s funny how my mother’s constant reminder about “you are the company you keep” has come to mean so much more than just not partying with trifling Tina (I am not speaking of ANYONE in particular). The company you keep supports your ability to put yourself first because you do so knowing that those around you want you to become a better version of yourself (as you do for them).
My journey of self-care is far from over, but I think what is evident from my transformation to date is that I have the best Board ever!
DISCLAIMER: Not everyone who sits on my Board is present in this picture so please do not take offense! However what it does mean is that you missed out on my bday celebration which is a WHOLE other blog!
