It takes a village to raise a kid! Well, you can say the same for fighting Cancer and recovery. As I reflected on the concept of a support system, it also struck me it is true for the professional journey as well.
My wife (before mentioned “superwoman”) is my caretaker, handler, and the last line of my support system. She also has by far the most to lose if things don’t go right. It's ironic (?) that it took me a while to mentally include her in all aspects of my treatment — good and bad. Then comes my “squad” — my kids who are impacted in more than one way. Family (including friends who are family) comes next, followed by the village and then the larger community. Each of them has played a significant role in my fight against MM. From waking up at odd hours to massage my pain away to sharing my darkest moments, to getting me coffee or Sunday meals, or a pep talk that “this too shall pass”, the tasks and their impact are innumerable to list or count. Both individually and collectively, it has had an immense impact. The mere fact that some of these folks took time to think about me, to pray for me, etc is something I am very grateful for.
There is a lot of parallel to having a support system in professional life as well. Maybe in my case, it became more apparent with what I was dealing with on the health front but I cannot ignore it or not talk about it. Its always great to have 1 if not 2 folks who can act as a sounding board. People who can listen and provide 100% transparent feedback. Then comes the set of people with who you can have targetted conversations — and thus far these folks either be colleagues, long-term professional connection, or a friend. Next comes colleagues. For me, it ranges from folks who I talk to every day to folks who check in on me — all these conversations have been incredibly supportive and emphatic. I would be remiss not to mention my customers here, as I work with them every day. They are an integral part of my journey. I have been very very lucky to work with some really cool colleagues who are great human beings.
So, whether it be life at work or outside, build yourself a support system. It may take time to arrive at something that works all the time, the effort and time are worth it.
