I would say that “supporting family” means those family members and relatives who really care for you and are there and available to help support you. This does not necessarily mean in a financial sense, but to support you and help you in many other ways, such as by providing help, advice, emotional support, advice and guidance, and reassurance when you need it. A close supporting family can help get you through rough times and keep you on the right track.
When supporting family it’s important to spend time together. Kids see what you do and can follow your example. They also feel secure if you’re around reliably.
This is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of my readers, researchers, and website visitors. So much so that one of them were kind enough to share their own personal opinions. I don’t claim to be the best interviewer in the world, but I do promise some good, raw, and honest answers from normal people like you and me. I do my best to NOT filter these answers, except for the bad words and hateful speech.
With that little blurb out of the way, let’s dive right into the juicy bits of (potentially) life-changing insights.
Current Topic: Supporting Family
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!) ‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
[This interview is inspired and fueled by research done for my book: Staying Motivated at Work.]
R: What’s so special about this topic anyway?
I: Supporting your family can have great benefits, in that the people who helped you grow up now need your help. This can be very fulfilling on an emotional level. On a more selfish level, if your family members make more money than you, they may reward you in their will if you are supportive and other family members are not.
R: What is the biggest, life-changing thing that could come from this topic?
I: If someone is supporting family, they gain a higher sense of responsibility. They become more caring. They also gain more awareness for themselves and others.
R: Share some of your inner feelings on just how useful this topic is for making people want to be better.
I: Say the person wants to become a better piano player, and the supporting family helps with lessons and equipment; that would really motivate the individual. A supporting family gives you hope and of course support to help you do better. They also have the liability of telling you when you’re off track.
R: Describe the perfect person that is a shining example of this topic, in your opinion.
I: My mother is best at supporting our family but it could be anyone. She is a single mother and works really hard for her children. She has taken me to school and is paying half my college tuition currently. She also plans on sending my sister to college too. she also sends money to relatives in need and our dad at times.
R: Describe who least exemplifies the core meaning of this topic to you.
I: A person who indulges in an activity such as too much gambling, may be too selfish to be part of a “supporting family”. While they may have good intentions, they will probably fall short in helping another person. It has to be about them.
R: Can you tell us what it’s like to have this subject in your life?
I: Money is all any family member will ask for so i know what they will want. So if i know it is money i can come to a compromise and we’ll work with it from there. Sometimes its not just about money it may be just about coming to an understanding, which does help when we talk about the subject as a whole about supporting family. But overall through my experiences money is what they will ask for and will be what supports them if not love. I’ve learned this the hard way.
R: When do you think new folks should get into this topic?
I:When you start having children. When there is a tragedy in your family. When your family is experiencing financial distress.
R: Seems like there are good times and bad times to bring this one up. When’s a really BAD time, do you think?
I: I think it would be inappropriate to bring family into your problem of having a sexually transmitted disease. If, for whatever reason, you need the support of someone, then I think close friends would be better. The stud thing would just be awkward and perhaps give the wrong impression about your life.
R: Where’s the best place someone can bring this topic into their life?
I: The best place is within yourself. You have to commit to it and really mean it, that’s the first step. Once you have acknowledged that the REST is easy. Nobody can force you to make a decision but yourself. Therefore if one has hopes of supporting a family, it is only THEY/THEM that can accomplish it.
R: There’s a time and a place for everything – what’s a place to NOT dive further into this topic?
I: A dangerous neighborhood with a lot of crime isn’t good for the support of a family. If there’s a lot of crime, violence or drug use that sets a bad example for kids. Kids emulate the adults around them. They need good role models.
R: In your opinion, who out there could use a little more help with this subject?
I: A person or group who would need help with supporting family could be someone who has made a taboo or unconventional life choice. An example would be someone who has chosen to marry outside of their race or religion. These people could have a hard time being accepted by others and might need more help supporting family.
R: Got any advice for us on this topic? The readers are hungry!
I: The biggest help to someone who is trying their best to support their family in trying times is a friend who will listen. Sometimes you need to get away and just talk to someone who is outside the situation. Never underestimate the value of a friend when you’re dealing with family problems.
R: Please, let us know what you think is the biggest problem related to this topic?
I: When supporting family you should always make sure that you are in support and not trying to tell people what to do. Supporting means letting them make their own decisions and then backing them up. It’s easy to try to support by coming up with all the good ideas. But, that’s not really supporting.
R: How would you describe a practical step we could take today to get more done on this topic?
I: Someone could get two jobs. A one job family is not sufficient to take care of a family. If there is not another spouse working, then the employee needs to think about getting a second job to help support the family.
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Thank you for reading this personal journey into becoming a better person and having a better future ahead of you. I hope you enjoyed this interview conversation and found golden nuggets you can immediately apply to your daily life.
If you want to get more productivity (and fulfillment!) out of your work, career, and life through being more motivated, then check out Staying Motivated at Work.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or personal life-changing wisdom below.