Support, Empowerment and Health

As previous modules have explained being empowered is important for your health and wellbeing and also the health of your family. Sometimes mothers think that it is a weakness to need other people, need support or reach out to locate help. However, it is a strength to recognise that support will make daily life more fun and manageable for you. If you are well supported, your family will benefit and daily life can run more smoothly with fewer daily hassles.

Social supports can help you to feel empowered to manage the responsibilities that you shoulder with greater ease. Having a network of inner supports can help you:

• Enjoy the company of others
• Give support and companionship
• Receive support and companionship
• Find time to look after your own health
• Find time to plan healthy habits and routines for yourself
• Find time to plan healthy habits and routines for your family

Reach out to someone important in your life today. Share your appreciation and gratitude that they are a part of your life. Communication is key to healthy relationships.

There is no down side to nurturing the important relationships in our lives.

In this module, you will find some fact sheets: one about the importance of supportive others to help reduce stress and one about supports for you and your family. There are three other fact sheets that you might find helpful too. They relate to the next module and so you will also find them there in Module 8. The fact sheets are about increasing supports at home, support for your child, and supportive communities.