Support systems

We all have support systems around us, whether we recognize them as such or not.  Our peers and colleagues at work, our family, friends, and neighbors, all of these can be thought of as support systems.  If we belong to a hobby group, social networking site, sports team, recovery group, or business association, we can count those as being in our support network as well!  This may leave some scratching their heads, as we don't normally think of these networks as support systems.  The key element in making a network into a support system is this:  we must ask for support in order to receive support!  Hiding within all of these groups of people is a vast wealth of knowledge and skill just waiting to be tapped!  Isn't it nice to think that we aren't really as alone as we think we are as we venture into a new interest, start a business, or set out on a fitness goal?  Everyone loves to share their knowledge in areas in which they excel; people feel good when they help others and when we share with each other, we bond together as humans in the commonality of our experience.  How can you utilize your networks as support systems and how will you ask for support?