A strong support system is vital for everyone, especially when you suffer from chronic illness and disability. Your support system is your medical team, family, friends, and mentors.  The right people at the right moment can make a huge difference in a person's life. Never underestimate the role individuals play as part of your support system. Everyone needs guidance and direction, wisdom and hope, encouragement and motivation, empathy and understanding, love and support. They can be a pillar of strength when you need it the most, and sometimes when you least expect it. We all need the support of loved ones, and sometimes, when you are sick, it can give the lift and encouragement you need to persevere. Simple words of encouragement can turn a bad day into a good day. A strong support system is like battle armor; it helps you get through the battles you face. Most people never realize the benefits of support because they may have never needed it. Unlike those who face overwhelming challenges due to health and disability,  their support system is the cheering squad, well-wishers, and uplifters. Even if you are not sick, a support system proves beneficial, especially on days when you feel down and lost. Consider your support system, your encouragers, and your pillars that give you the boost when you need it the most.

At the beginning of each new year, society continues the recycling of New Year's resolutions. People are entrapped by marketing ploys to help you get in shape, take on new projects, or even coerced into spending more than you have. In some instances, it leads to failed attempts to accomplish anything tangible. Society's gullible minions fall for it every year. Some people may have reasonable successes, while others revert to a lifestyle that is their comfort zone. Change is never easy, especially if you lack the motivation or the determination to succeed. Whether it's weight loss, going back to school, starting a business, or quitting a bad habit. Trying to accomplish anything can be difficult, since you may face many obstacles and challenges that can prevent you from achieving anything. I have learned that it is profoundly helpful that you set realistic, attainable goals and work towards accomplishing them. Everything takes time and effort, and it does not happen in a short period. It takes hard work, strong unwavering support, and determination to achieve your goals. Seek help and guidance when you need it, do your research, and learn as much as you can. When done right, your rewards are truly meaningful. As you make strides, you gain insight into your capabilities. Mistakes will happen, and failure is not the end; learn from it and don't give up.

As a society, we face limitations all the time due to ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, health, or disability.  The barriers faced by many are no fault of their own, merely deeply rooted in history and the evolving times we are living in.  Changes are evident, but not equitable enough to create a level playing field for all. Limitations that individuals face may vary from person to person, some brought on by society, while most are the limitations an individual places on themselves. Overcoming these limitations is no doubt challenging since barriers faced by individuals can be both overwhelming and exhausting. Sometimes, we lack the motivation or fail to take the initiative to seek or create opportunities for ourselves. Maybe it is mere individual complacency that creates an atmosphere of hopelessness, limiting us from seeking our true potential. Often the lack of motivation creates self-doubt, where you are likely not willing to take initiative to achieve your goals. Remember, doubt can derail your journey, so why give in to that? It is ok to question your actions and postulate the directions you take in life. We must create the foundation for our success by tapping into our inner potential and overcoming any limitations placed on us or by ourselves. The individual limitations that we place upon ourselves create many barriers that impact trauma, addiction, illness, a job, financial issues, marriage, friendship, a new relationship, etc. 

The family structure and support system have changed in so many dimensions in recent decades. New family dynamics have developed in society that have encouraged some people to move towards wanting to be single and postponing marriage to a later date. People are choosing to have fewer children, single-parent households are increasing, there are higher divorce rates, more gay and lesbian parents,  and even fewer caregivers for aging adults. As these changes evolve, the psychological well-being of those involved should be taken into consideration. Even if the fundamental basis of a family support system changes and adapts to a newer generation, the growth of the family structure should not be neglected in any way. While families may change and grow to adapt to the modern world, society will still be on a path of destruction if they do not support, encourage, and respect the changes in the family system. Many factors have influenced family values and beliefs across numerous cultures. Changes in socioeconomic status, marriage, divorce, and types of relationships have played a vital role in changing the family. Considering there is so much that creates and sustains a family, although it takes so little to destroy the family.

What makes us human? Is it the fact we walk upright? Maybe it is our behavior that sets us apart from other species. I wonder sometimes why animals tend to behave better than humans. As humans, our behavioral traits do set us apart and sometimes can lead to our downfall. I have always believed that we all have what I call the components of humanness. These are compassion, humility, kindness, empathy, and understanding. One of the most important components of humanness is compassion, our ability to have sympathy or concern for others. Understanding and empathizing with our fellow humans grounds us as individuals, and teaches us humility. Humility lets our humbleness shine through and allows us to live a life not constrained by pride. Our ability to show kindness without restrictions to be considerate to others is no doubt an indication of our generosity to mankind. The willingness to be generous is not confined by how much we give to charity. It can simply be the time spent with those we love, causes we volunteer for, or just mentoring and providing the appropriate guidance and direction to someone. As human beings, if we can not empathize with others, we are just simply lost souls without cause to exist. The ability to relate to or share the feelings of others is simply the basis of our humanness.

What inspires us? Who inspires us? Where do we find inspiration? We all find inspiration in someone or something profoundly meaningful, and it inspires us to achieve or aspire to accomplish amazing feats. Inspiration allows hope to transpire; it allows individuals the motivation and encouragement to succeed and work towards attainable goals. As we journey in life, we cross paths with many individuals who inspire us to be better, do better, or accomplish the impossible.  You never know the impact inspiration brings to you unless you experience it yourself. Children have an amazing ability to be truly honest, and they can inspire us as well. We have learned  throughout history that great men and women achieved the impossible in their respective fields of expertise. Many like Gandhi teaching peace and civility,  to Abraham Lincoln teaching us leadership. From Nelson Mandela teaching us forgiveness, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. teaching us the right to equality for all. They have inspired us to break through the barriers that limit us from doing right by others. We remain hopeful because these individuals have graced us with their presence over the years. The resilience of a child can teach us true strength, and a determination to overcome obstacles and challenges that we may face in life.

Unexpected life events can impact your life at any time; it could be a job loss, the death of a loved one, an accident, or even the onset of illness. Various types of events can derail your journey in life, especially natural disasters that clearly show us how disruptive life can get. How we cope with all these unexpected life events will determine the outcome that we hope for. I was hospitalized; I was so sick that I had a high fever, nausea, chills, convulsions, and uncontrollable bladder. My dad took me to the ER, where lab tests were done and the doctors informed me I had an infection. Consequently, I was admitted to the hospital,  where 24 hours later the infectious disease doctors informed me that I had a bacterial infection called Bacteremia.  The doctors put me on a cocktail of antibiotics to treat the infection aggressively. After 10 days of intensive antibiotics treatment, my body weakened so much it caused Debility; doctors transferred me to the rehabilitation section of the hospital to help me gain strength from my overall weakness. 

We live in a world where a perfect physical appearance is a depiction of acceptable standards of beauty. Looks matter more than character and inner beauty, and the media showcases acceptable appearances that society should follow. I do believe that appropriate acceptable appearances do matter, especially for work, school, and special occasions. These days society has taken extreme measures to look a certain way, to live beyond their means, and display pseudo behaviors only to pretend. There are even those who go into debt to fulfill a certain lifestyle, or simply live a life under a false persona. While in the real world, the reality is far from that, people are living in poverty, trying their best every day to fulfill their basic needs. There are parts of our world where appearances are not a priority since most people can not live a lifestyle that some parts of today's society are accustomed to. Of course, they wish for a better life; understandably, life is not fair. Yet somehow, they are happy and content with their lives. When compared to those who have everything in life, they are still happy or satisfied with what they have. Unhappiness that is brought about by living above your means and causes more harm than just living a simple lifestyle. Stressing about how you look? What clothing do you wear? What car you should drive? And how big my house should be? Causes more harm to your well-being and overall sanity than anything else, when compared to those who are just happy with what they have and how they live.

When you take the time to reflect and evaluate your memories, it enables you to develop a better understanding and appreciation for what you have learned. Memories span across time. Cherished memories are found in spontaneous laughter, adventures, and when precious time is spent with those you love. We all have beautiful precious memories that we cherish. When we reminisce, our hearts are full of joy from the moments of love, celebration, and happiness. Memories take us back in time, providing moments of reflection and wonderment. It can be traumatizing for some people who have memories filled with unhappiness. Everyone may not experience cherished memories, some people may have experienced abuse, obstacles, challenges, and hardships that some of us may not even understand or relate to. Memories allow us to reflect on our past, and look back on our individual histories.  Regardless of our memories, they are just a moment in time. We don't have to drown ourselves in bad memories nor should we forget them all together. A reflection of our past is an opportunity to evaluate the experience and decide on what we want for the future.

We seldom realize the consequences of bad behavior until it spirals out of control. We must acknowledge that there is a strong cultural and environmental influence on behavior. Both good and bad behavioral traits are often learned over time. Good behavioral traits come from a strong cultural influence of family and friends. According to my mentor Dr. Donald Nichols, the power of socialization is that society will always teach and reinforce the norms that produce the behavior that is desired by society. There are rules within society that determine behavior, and there are varying degrees of punishment that are allocated or dished out as needed to expect adherence to the conforms of certain behaviors. Therefore failure to conform to behavioral norms among cultures can lead to people being hit, punished, or in some instances extremes of shame, being shunned and or even made an outcast. The ultimate goal of behavioral adjustment and change, or simply an attitude adjustment is teaching good behavior. Whereby rules can be reinforced by an appropriate discipline through guidance and direction. Disciplining bad behavior in children has changed over time, and so has the tolerance for certain behaviors. Either we have become soft as a society, or we are simply not bothered by the shenanigans.

The ability to encourage others can make a difference in your life as well as the life of the person you are helping. My mentor Dr. Donald Nichols always reminds me that I have the gift of encouragement. At first, I did not think much of it, I only realized that when I saw how my encouragement made an impact on others. Encouragement instills hope, optimism, and upliftment when someone needs it the most. Whether you encourage an adult or child, it helps in their growth and development as an individual. Your compassion for people gives you the ability to encourage and help them be hopeful, which in turn gives them the motivation to keep trying and not give up on themselves. it is imperative that we encourage people who may coping with challenging times in their life, since we all need hope. Hope never dies, unless you or someone else creates its demise. Think about that for a second, and consider if you need encouragement and hope at a certain moment in life and someone is there to fulfill that. It would be a blessing if someone was there to encourage you when you needed it the most.

Education is vital to mankind's success, regardless of what career path or education someone undertakes. Whether you choose an academic or vocational education, what is important is that you are truly happy and you can earn a living from your eventual career. Understandably not everyone is academically inclined, so we need individuals skilled in the trade fields more than ever. In some instances, people with a trade skill earn more than someone with a degree. All that matters is that you earn a living that is comfortable for you and your family. It is important to make sure you work hard, with sheer dedication and the faith to believe in yourselves. You can accomplish anything when you set your mind and focus on it. Keep in mind, it is very important to choose your friends wisely and don't let anyone discourage you, unless it is for the right reasons, like when it pertains to your well-being and safety. Make sure you are a positive influence on them, and them on you. If you have goals and dreams, pursue them. Never underestimate yourself.  Your possibilities are endless. Just don't wait for the opportunity to come to you, get out there. Make it happen for yourself and you will have no regrets.