Social Networking is About Being Social

So inspired listening to some Sonya Stringer! She is so gorgeous and such a classy lady! But she is also decisive, not pushy or arrogant at all, but to her purpose and outcome. And that’s ok for girls to do that!! I recently listened to a webinar of hers and part of the message was “don’t go it alone”! Social Networking is not about being an isolated Maverick.

Givers not Takers

Wow this so speaks to my inner being!. I think many of us women tend to be the glue that holds situations together. We are the martyrs, the workers, the support, those that anticipate and read other people’s minds so we are always prepared to ensure success for those around us. How many of us have thought to get the sports uniform ready for the next day’s sports carnival when the child has not remembered?

We are always there, behind the scenes holding it all together.

Which is great. We move mountains stone by stone. But what happens when it comes time to ask for help?

Wow! Now right there we are not comfortable! We are the givers, not the takers!! We would never want to be considered a taker! I recently listened to a Ted Talk by Adam Grant on the topic of Givers and Takers, and how detrimental to workplace culture “Takers” are. They demoralise the “Givers” and eventually the culture toxifies.

Let Others Help

So this needs a total re-frame for us. Our meters are calibrated way too far to the martyr side and need some serious re-centering so we can get to a point of balance. We need to reach out and give others the opportunity others to give, to provide that which we need.

Yes we can be self sufficient.

Yes we can get it all done on our own.

But wow do we take a huge risk of failure doing it all on our own. And what are we really teaching everyone around us? Where is the true support if we only offer it without receiving it. Who else ever gets to give? The whole thing stops working when it gets to us and we end up a little bit more broken, exhausted and overwhelmed.

Connect and Grow

So many times I’ve gone the whole thing on my own. And now, in the true sense of stepping outside my comfort zone, I need to learn to accept help, support, and COLLABORATION from others. This is my micro-mission – to develop better, stronger, more authentic and fair connection with others.

Connect and Grow!