Support - We All Need It

Let me tell you a story ...

I've mentioned before that I'm part of the Nerd Fitness Academy. Part of that is access to a support group on Facebook. Over the past two weeks, there's one individual who has been busting his ass to improve his health, fitness, and overall life. The problem? Apparently this has triggered a shit-storm from his wife. I've never seen a more selfish, less supportive spouse in my life.

Let's start with Day 2 (the guy is keeping a psuedo-journal by means of posts to the group):

Seems harmless, right?

Wife left soda in the car. Nothing obviously sinister, and on it's own is harmless.

Let's see what happens a little later (somewhere within day 2 through day 4):

Wait ... what?

Right - so a few days after he starts his journey to get his weight and health under control, that's when she decides to slam him with her embarrassment. Way to be supportive.

Let's see what happened less than a week after he started this journey - I present to you day 5:

Such a lovely woman

Obviously there's more to their marital issues than what's being presented, but it still galls me to see this woman basically whipping him for shit he's working on correcting. You're unhappy with his weight and sleep habits? Great, so is he! And he's trying to fix it, so why don't you sit the fuck down and shut the hell up and let the man focus on what you and he both want?!

Sorry. I'm allergic to bullshit - it makes me break out in Tourette's.

I'm sure we can all probably see where this is headed, so let's move on to day 10 and 11:

#!@%$

Are you mad? Because I'm mad. I'm of two minds about this, and I'm fully aware that I'm sideline-Freuding.

1) She's been working up to this for a while and the timing is just coincidental or
2) She knows she's a shit and she's worried that if he actually fixes himself he'll realize it too and leave her for someone better - this is either a power play or an attempt to get what she can before it all falls down.

Finally, today's post. This guy is a trooper. I don't know if I could be as on-point as he is with all the emotional bullshit he's dealing with. He's on this group saying he wants to be more like "us" (us being the semi-healthy, only moderately overweight) while I'm sitting here hoping I can be half the man (no jokes intended) he is.

... no words

The moral of this story is that we all need support when we're trying to improve ourselves. If you find yourself surrounded by negativity when you try to be better, ask yourself why. More to the point, ask yourself why you put up with it.

I'm fortunate - my friends and family are all either directly or indirectly supportive. At the very least no one is sabotaging me (aside from myself - damn discipline issues). I'm extremely fortunate to have 18 by my side - she has been nothing but supporting and I hope I have been half as supportive as she has.

That's it guys - that's all I wanted to say. We should all aspire to this man's level of positive positioning. As he said before, #fortify!