If I wasn’t doing this so publicly, there would be a lot more I have to say about those in my support structure. Broadly, I love each and every person listed here. They are important to me and always will be.
This is my week 1 homework, and if you’re following along, I highly recommend spending a great deal of time on this step.
Grandma
My grandmother passed away in early 2019. I took it pretty hard and still miss her very much to this day. As an adult, I learned and grew so much from the time I had with her. She was a strong businesswoman who always knew what she wanted. I learned a lot of my confidence from her as well as my entrepreneurial mindset.
Although she is no longer on the other end of the phone during our frequent chats, I still think of what she would tell me. And I think of what would have been important to her.
Katherine
I met Katherine in 2017. I proposed in 2018. We got married in 2019. Not only is Katherine the love of my life, she is my partner in everything I do (whether she wants to be or not sometimes). In all of my big business decisions, I get her advice and input. She may not be a business owner herself, but my career choices affect her.
Additionally, she’s smarter than me, so that helps a lot!
Katherine, like every business owner’s spouse, serves every pillar of a support system at different times. She’s my emotional support. For example, when this pandemic started, my work took a huge dive. Katherine was there for me every step of the way to help me get back on my feet.
Simultaneously, she’s part of my advice support structure. If I’m stuck on an issue or want to run it by someone, Katherine is always there to help.
In conclusion, Katherine is the main part of my support structure. Whether things are good or bad, she’s there for me. In the same way, I’m there for her.
Mom
I have my mom listed next. She has always been a huge part of my emotional support system. I learned many of my social skills and reasoning from her. Sorry mom!
My mom is the person that if I’m having a bad day and need to talk to someone, I’m probably going to call her. You never stop needing your mom to tell you things will be okay, right? My mom is great at helping calm down runaway emotions.
Dad
My dad is also very high up there on my support structure. Though there is a lot of overlap when it comes to the emotional support they provide, my dad takes a different tactic. It’s hard to explain because saying he is logically minded does not do my dad’s method justice.
My dad is the type of person who would make a great law professor. He is great at asking questions or having you explain things until you get it. As a child, this was probably a super annoying trait, but I’m also certain it taught me to think more like a lawyer.
Additionally, my dad fills a pillar that many in my support system cannot because he is a lawyer and understands the unique stresses that sometimes lawyers face.
Nate
Nate has been my best friend since my senior year of high school. If I were to describe Nate’s best trait, it is reliable. He’s the guy who I can always rely on to have my back, and he knows I have his. He and I have been through an absolute ton together. He is a major part of my emotional support system.
Francesca
Francesca is responsible for a lot of my adult growth. It was less than a week into law school when I met her and she changed my life. Have you ever met someone who took no prisoners in their steadfast belief of fairness and honesty? This is my friend Francesca.
Law school was the first time I had any exposure to many aspects of the world I was otherwise sheltered from by the Midwest. Francesca was my guide. Without her, I know I would have been worse off.
Additionally, right before I met my wife, Francesca and I took it upon ourselves to be each other’s personal growth buddies. We both checked in with each other daily to make sure we did something for ourselves and to improve ourselves. If it weren’t for this time period, I don’t know if I would have had the amazing relationship with Katherine that I still have today.
Run, Sweat, and Beers
Here’s the one you don’t see everyday. I belong to a run group called “Run, Sweat, and Beers.” We joke that we do one of those things a lot more than the others. Definitely a drinking group that occasionally runs together. However, this has been a unique group for me. Never before have I joined a club and immediately made fast friends with most of the people in it.
I’ve been going to this running group for several years now and it has been amazing. I speak with multiple members of the group on a daily basis. Also, 3 of the group were in my wedding party and one was my officiant.
This group of men and women make up a huge part of my support structure, and I know I’m incredibly lucky to have them in my life.
Personalized Letters to My Support Structure
I’m not going to publish the personalized letters here because I don’t think it would do any of my readers any good to read them. Instead, I want you to know that they are deeply personal. I tell each of them how much they mean to me, how they’ve been there for me before, and what this undertaking means to me. They’re important to me, and I want them to know it.
Sadly, my grandmother won’t get a chance to read hers. However, I have a box full of letters I’ve written her since she passed. It helps to get what is in my heart on paper.
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