Stronger Together

As I write, the holiday season has begun and most people are spending time with friends and family. The holidays are about a lot more than just having fun together. There are reasons we like getting together with other people.

• Encouragement
• Resting
• Helping others
• Sharing

However, the holidays aren’t pleasant for everyone. Recently the mother of my best friend from college passed away unexpectedly. I decided to reach out and encourage him.

I can still remember her coming to see me in the hospital after my accident. She assured me there was a reason I didn’t die and she would pray for me to get better.

Over two decades later, I can still remember how much better I felt after her brief visit with me in the hospital. I can still remember her smile the first time I entered her home after I finished my rehabilitation.

It was extremely important for me to get all of the support and encouragement I could in those early days after my accident, especially once I finally was able to think clearly. It was their support that helped me to get stronger.

Stronger

I cannot express enough how important it is for us to grow in life and for healthy brains to grow neurologically. That is why I continue to work out and focus on my health.

There are numerous benefits of staying physically active for our brains. I benefit by lowering my stroke threshold. Recent studies have shown that physical activity helps reduce the risk of dementia.

The older I get the more thankful I am for my health, especially considering my brain injury. But, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for getting help and advice from other health-conscious people.

The gym is more than just a place to exercise, it is a place to build relationships and community. Often, it is in the gym where I learn about other things going on in the community I live in.

Recently I shared with a brother from church a new back exercise I learned and he told me today that he, too, really likes the exercise. It’s not always about showing off or who looks the best in the fitness community, in the gym I have accountability and encouragement; gym rats know we are stronger together.

Together

Being together doesn’t always mean being in the same place. My best friend from college lives in Texas now and we still support each other from afar. I have learned new exercises from friends across the country and on YouTube.

There is a psychological bond that connects us with other people with similar interests and goals. We’ve experienced what others have experienced and we strive for similar goals.

Recently, I received another rejection email from a literary agent and of course, I was pretty depressed. However, thanks to my writing friends across the country whom I keep in touch with, I received the encouragement and advice I needed to continue in my writing journey.

Most of us have experienced how lonely and disappointing the writing life can be at times, we’ve all faced rejection at some point; even best-selling authors have experienced rejection and discouragement in their writing journeys.

We are a weird sort of community because we know we’ll face painful moments. Just like with the fitness community, we need the support and guidance of others to help us get stronger and to motivate us not to give up.

Friendships and community are important, regardless of their nature. Below are some benefits of building stronger friendships from betterhealth.com.

1. Lower rates of anxiety
2. Lower rates of depression
3. Higher self-esteem
4. Greater empathy
5. Stronger immune system

As writers, we understand the demands and the pitfalls of the writing life. We can help encourage other writers who are struggling. We can also receive encouragement from others within the community.

Encouragement

Recently, I reconnected with another disabled person in my community. I had actually met him at the local gym about a decade ago. He is a brain cancer survivor who is wheelchair-bound.

I had the chance to share with him about my experiences after my accident. All of these years later we’re both feeling depressed and forgotten.

I offered to help him with his problem, just knowing I could help someone else made me feel better. Community has its advantages.

1. Encouragement
2. Opportunity
3. Sense of belonging

Having a place to fit in is rewarding in itself. It isn’t about getting paid. A stronger community benefits us all. Ask Matthew Whitaker, a blind musician who returned to the school that taught him music to give back. That is how we become stronger together!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.