Support is Important When Trying to Make a Change
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I know “support groups” are kinda cheesy. I used to never understand the point of a support group. I thought, well, if I can do something I can do it. I can do it on my own, or I can do it in a group. I didn’t see the point of a bunch of strangers sitting around and talking about what they are going to do. Just go do it!
But I get it now. Having supportive people in your life is critical to making lasting changes.
Think back to cave man days. Back to when we all lived in tribes and depended on that tribe for survival. No single person could survive on their own. It took more than one day’s work to build a shelter, grow food, make clothing, kill animals, protect yourself, ect. Being part of the tribe was critical to survival. Human’s evolved instincts that told us that we must be accepted by our tribe. It was a life and death issue.
In terms of evolution that wasn’t very long ago. Just 200ish years ago we were still living in tribes and colonies in America all dependant on the collective for survival. So it’s really no surprise that still today we will do just about anything for the approval of those around us. It’s like our lives depend on it. Deep down we crave the acceptance of others, even to the point of our own demise.
We are all influenced by the people around us. Take a look around you. Everything you have, wear, eat, think, do, believe, and want is influenced by your surroundings. If you had grown up in a different country your actions, thoughts, and beliefs would be totally different. The world can be seen through a million different filters and those around us choose which filters we see through. I know we like to think we choose our own filters, but we don’t. Our friends, family, books, TV, and the internet decide how we see the world.
We can see the world as dangerous by reading a lot of depressing news. We can see the world as friendly by hanging out with friendly people. We can see scarcity or abundance. We can fear or hope. We can see love or hate. We can see education or ignorance. It all depends on what we put in front of us.
The good news is that we can change our filters by changing our influences. And that’s where support groups come in. If you have an ever-growing pile of debt and want to change into a debt free lifestyle then change your influences. Stop hanging out with people who value consumption and start hanging out with those who value true wealth. Stop reading shopping blogs and start reading debt free blogs. Stop following celebrities and start following personal finance experts.
You are going to seek acceptance from a group. That fact can’t be denied. So pick a group that’s going your way!
Ashley
Hi, I'm primary author and founder of Money Talks. My passion in life is to help you make the most of your money. If you enjoy this site I encourage you to sign up for our newsletter.
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Ever since joining my debt management program, I’m a daily lurker at their online community – as well as other personal finance blogs. It helps keep me grounded, and focused!