iron sharpens iron
if you have been consistent in reading my blog posts you know i have been discussing a lot about goals and i wanted to further build upon these ideas, especially in regards to my post titled four for four. in this particular post i emphasized how as individuals it is initially up to us to hold ourselves accountable to reaching our goals and while this is true i feel it is also important to understand that we are not on this journey alone. so when i happened to come across Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, a verse that had previously inspired me, my soul was touched again and i felt i had to dive a little deeper.
ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 reads:
“two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. if either of them falls down, one can help the other up, but pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
simply put ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 states life is not meant to be lived alone, but instead with one another - that goes for goals too. yes, it is up to each individual to complete their goal, but having and accepting support is so important. support helps you when motivation is low. support reminds you why you do what you do when you have forgotten or been stuck in a rut, and sticks with you to see the process and the progress. not to mention support helps when needed.
what is interesting though is that oftentimes we fail to accept the help offered to us or we don’t seek the help we need when we face struggles. how sad that society gives us this idea we are weak if we ask for help. i’m here to tell you and reassure you that is one of the biggest lies i have heard. i mean just think about how many people have touched your life and helped get you to where you are today. from the day we are born we become part of this team and slowly we are taught all the tips and tricks to this thing called life. we learn to crawl, walk, run, talk, even how to talk back. then as we get older we began meeting more people; neighbors, family friends, teachers, classmates, coaches, teammates, religious communities, even the cashiers at the grocery store, etc. or maybe it’s been the many friends you have made who went out of their way to make your day slightly better whether it was them telling a joke or sliding a note under your college dorm door (yes! i had a friend who did that and it was literally the sweetest thing). oh or the random people on YouTube and Pinterest and Instagram who continuously share their tips and tricks of everything one needs to know; from how to’s, tutorials, workout sessions, they got the answers. really when you think about it everything we do is a combination of those who so graciously touched our lives.
so in a world where more people turn to substances and other unhealthy habits when they are struggling, speaking up is the strongest thing you could do. to recognize that hey, i can not do this on my own, is powerful. it is okay, and it is perfectly normal. life can be tough, but you beautiful people you are so much tougher. with the loving help of people who care for us we can continue to live that life we were always called to live. so if you need help, ask. if someone asks if you need help, accept the offer. we are stronger with one another.
take buildings for example. they need a solid foundation. well, the same is true for humans. that support and stability that are family, friends, and loved ones bring are what helps us stay strong. i mean there is no building that is only built with one piece of wood alone. instead it takes many pieces to create the foundation, let alone the beautiful structure. those who support us are our foundation, and are what help keep us strong. just as each piece of wood is important so is true to those who support us.
i can not even begin to say my thanks for all the support i have had over the years, especially in regards to my website these past 5 weeks. every time someone tells me they read one of my blog post i’m shocked because wow someone actually took the time out of their day to read what i had to say. such a cool concept to me. there were so many times where i questioned my work and had to force myself to push through in order to get a post up, but having a solid support team really helped. it gave me the courage to keep going by helping remind me i was just being too hard on myself.
support got me here. support got you here. support got us here.
(for those of you who do not feel that you are supported or do not have anyone to talk to just know i am always here for you and love you very much. feel free to message me by email - you can go to my contact page or through instagram messenger @amanda.lanee // everyone needs someone and i would be honored to help you in any way i can).