THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING OTHERS

By Debbie Kemp

Please offer your support

As we approach the end of 2021, I feel the pull to write an article for anyone who is struggling. I’d like to think of it as an awareness piece… as a reminder.

I know that different parts of the world are at different stages of ‘living with covid’. As an Australian contributor to eYs Magazine, I’m currently in the process of what the media is calling ‘our path to freedom’. This is a staged process of the Australian and State Governments allowing Australians to enjoy certain social liberties under specific conditions. Yes, by definition it’s a somewhat ironic concept, but let’s move on.

I hope that our readers outside of Australia can relate in some way to where we are at, and that this article creates awareness for someone you know, someone who might be dealing with challenging times of any kind.

By the time this article is in print, many Australians will have enjoyed what is being coined ‘Freedom Day’. There is excitement about restaurants and clubs being open to the public, and excitement that people can finally gather in groups once again.

I truly hope a lot of people get out and about and enjoy themselves. I hope that families and friends come together after way too long, and that loneliness turns to joy for many.

But the empath in me knows that this won’t be the case for everyone.

I’d like to bring awareness to the fact that there will be people who continue to struggle, despite the media’s focus on ‘freedom’. I don’t wish for this article to dull anyone’s excitement, I’d prefer that it serve as a reminder for us to check in on our friends and neighbours and others in our community, and as a plea for widespread compassion and acceptance.

There will be small business owners who haven’t generated an income in months, some who’ve gone into debt, who need to spend significant money to reopen. These small business owners may feel less free than ever before and may not feel like doing anything social. They’ll likely be too busy, cutting as many costs as possible by doing the work themselves, and doing their best to understand and manage the Government’s ever-changing small business regulations.

Please offer these people your support.

There will be parents who’ve spent months juggling their jobs with home learning, and who’ve become utterly exhausted by the big emotions of their children competing with the demands of their job. They may not have a strong support system and may be resigned to the belief that freedom just isn’t a feeling they can access. They’ll likely be busy catching up on their paid work, their home responsibilities, and the new procedures involved in their children’s schooling. They might even prefer a nap to a night out.

Please offer these people your support.

DEBBIE KEMP

Life Coach

There will be people who’ve long suffered the debilitating effects of anxiety, who’ve spent many years developing social skills and resilience, and who’ve recently spent several months inside their own home with very little social interaction. These people will almost certainly experience a regression in their social confidence and might do their best to continue to retreat. Anxiety is such a growing disorder in all age groups, yet it can be incredibly silent or even secret. A busy social environment might send an anxious person into a world of panic, so it is important that people with anxiety are offered opportunities to connect in a way that works for them… a way that feels supportive.

Please offer these people your support.

There will be people who are unable to participate in society’s ‘newfound social freedoms’ because they can’t or won’t meet the conditions that have been laid down by Governments. For some, anxiety will absolutely be a contributing factor. For others, a fragile health condition may make a specific medical procedure more risky. Society tends to assume that a medical exemption would cover anyone with a relevant health condition, but a quick glance at the government’s form tells another story, and some people are left to make a choice between one risk and another.

Please offer these people your support.

What might be a fun, exciting and joyful time for some, will always be a challenging, confronting, and difficult time for others. Such is life.

That said, how comforting it can be for those going through a difficult time, to be supported by the people around them. Grand gestures aren’t necessary, some kind words and a hug can make all the difference. Also, why not ask your friend in business if they need a hand? Why not ask a parent if you can take their kids for an afternoon? Why not offer to bring coffee to someone who isn’t able to or doesn’t feel good about going out?

Let us not forget our differences as we move forward. Let us remember to take care of each other. Let us be accepting and understanding, compassionate and kind. Let us offer and receive support. Let us give and receive love.