22 Feb Squad Goals: How’s Your Support Network?
Travel and wanderlust are the core of my being, because every time I immerse myself in a new culture, and spend time with people from other parts of the planet, I learn something profound. My Global Wisdom series examines some of the ideas and wisdom I’ve discovered along the way.
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For the last few years, I’ve been touring the world speaking on women’s entrepreneurship as a featured expert for the U.S. Department of State. I’ve had the pleasure to meet women from all walks of life, and the experience has helped me to inform much of the work we’re doing with IMPERIA™.
There’s a particular story that has stayed with me since my first tour in 2016, when I spent several weeks in Nepal. In the southern part of the country, right on the border of India in Biratnagar, I met a group of women who created a society called Nari Bikash Sangh, which supports the formation and sustenance of women’s co-ops. The groups have become so strong, they now act as their own banks to get women up and running as business owners. From their website:
Savings collected in the groups are being mobilized for the purpose of income, medical treatment, child education, social work, housing, land, agriculture, and social work, making it available as a loan for any individual’s need. For long-term development plans of the groups formed in the community, we affiliate the collection of more than one group into cooperatives. After the group is affiliated to cooperatives, cooperative management executives inspect the cooperative for it’s capacity development and provide monitoring and counseling, conducting various training.
When I sat down to tea with the organization’s board, they shared the story of a woman who joined a co-op so she could start a small dairy business with a cow. Unfortunately, she was married to an alcoholic, abusive husband, and he stole her startup money to buy alcohol. The woman was so ashamed, she did not return to the group for a long time, and the other women became concerned about her. In true squad form, they did not leave her to fend for herself: They showed up at her front door, and threatened her husband that if he ever stole from her again, or laid a hand on her, he would have them to deal with.
The co-op lent the woman another round of funding to buy goats, and her business became so successful, she paid back both loans. Now her husband is dependent on her for his sustenance.
Every time I think of this story, I check in to see how my own squad is holding up.
Am I surrounded by people who would take that kind of action to look out for me, and am I willing to do the same on a moment’s notice? Do I need to make any changes to the group?
Having that kind of safety net in our lives is critical to our well-being. I remember when I was very sick, right after my immune system began going haywire, I had real fears that I would go bankrupt, lose my apartment, and end up on the street. One day one of my BFFs said, “Jennifer, no matter how bad it gets, you will never spend a single night sleeping on the sidewalk. I have a couch, food, and you have a huge, supportive family who will never let that happen to you. You are not alone.”
Knowing that one fact gave me enough room to breathe so the stress could subside, and I could focus on healing, along with taking actions to create a new path for myself. I knew that no matter what happened, I was going to be ok.
It’s important for you to create the conditions so you know that no matter what happens, you’re going to be OK.
When I think of “squad goals,” I try to think of my squad in terms of 5 people. Who are the 5 I can call at any time of day or night, and what are we willing to do for one another? If you don’t have 5 people, start with 1. Create a lifeline. And if you can’t find anyone in your immediate vicinity, reach out to me on Twitter and I can be one of them. You are not in this fight alone.
With love from NYC,
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Top photo: Vonecia Carswell
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