By: Joanna Martin

I wrote a blog some time ago about making use of your support network when you feel overwhelmed but I want to talk today about the importance of acknowledging those who support you in your journey to success.

You see, I think if you are like a lot of people, it is very easy to get caught up in daily life and almost forget to recognise that there are people around who support you… you get so used to them being there for you that you stop noticing they are there.

Does that make sense?

Let me ask you a question… do you make regular time to take a step back, reflect on the contribution others have made to your life and then make sure you show appreciation and acknowledge their input?

Acknowledge those who support you:
TrustI make a conscious effort to do this at least once each week. My team are based in several locations and we all connect together weekly for a team call. During the call each member of the team recognises their colleague who has given them the greatest support during the previous week and takes time to say thank you and acknowledge them for their input.

I also acknowledge each member of my team personally for the sterling work they do supporting me and the role they play in Shift.

Greg, my husband, is an enormous source of support to me and I acknowledge him too… for everything he does for me. As my husband, it would be very easy to take his support for granted but I want to make sure I regularly acknowledge him so he knows I do appreciate him.

But… what about you? Do you acknowledge yourself regularly too?

Acknowledge yourself:
As humans, we can be prone to self-criticism and fail to spot where we are making a difference… instead feeling we have failed because something didn’t work out as it should have.

I heard a story recently which demonstrates this very well. I was talking to one of my clients who was doubting herself because a client she had coached had not made progress in their journey and felt no benefit from the coaching… leaving my client feeling disheartened.

Yet, another client she had worked with had experienced a huge breakthrough, taken enormous steps forward in their own journey and was really grateful for the results she had achieved through being coached by my client.

The truth is, my client should have felt very proud of the difference she had made to the 2nd client’s life. Instead she felt despondent about the non progress with the first client in this example and was beginning to question whether she was on the right path.

Team TrustCan you identify with this? When you feel you have not made a difference in one place, are you unable to recognise your successes elsewhere and begin doubting your own abilities?

I hear this from lots of people so you aren’t alone if you do feel this way.

So today, I invite you to take a step back… think about those people in your support network who help you in your lifestyle journey… then go and say thank you to them.

Then, if you’re feeling down on yourself and believe you aren’t making the difference you have to make, take another step back… write a list of everything you’ve done well… be proud and appreciate yourself for all your successes and for the steps you have taken in your journey so far.

Finally, I want to acknowledge you for being a part of my community and letting me share in your journey. Please leave me a comment below and tell me why you want to acknowledge yourself today.