Positive Energy - What Support Can You Tap Into?

July 2006

Dear Mark

Welcome to another issue of Positive Energy from Milecastle Consultancy.

This month’s issue is packed full of useful resources. We’ll be looking at the different roles your friends, relatives, colleagues and associates play in your life. We’ll explore how you can tap into a potential goldmine of support that will boost your confidence, make your life easier and help you to achieve your goals.

Do you have a success story you’d like to share with us? As always I’d love to hear from you and get your feedback on this month’s newsletter. So why not, e-mail me or call me on 01697 747 821.

Best wishes,

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."

George Bernard Shaw

It would be very hard to go through life all on your own. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all rely on those around us to get through every day.

Their support comes in many forms. It may simply be a reassuring smile from a friendly face, constructive feedback from a colleague, or a hug from a loved one at the end of a long day.

Positive interactions like these help to reassure us that we're valued and are on the right track. They boost our confidence levels and self esteem. But are you making the most of them?

We each have a network of around 500 people - that's basically everyone you know. But it's very rare that we actually stop and think about the different roles that these people play in our lives.

There will be people in your network who are unconditionally supportive and encouraging. But there will also be people who are a negative force in your life - that undermine you or make you feel inadequate.

If you take the time to consider everyone that influences your life, you'll be able to weed out those that are holding you back and be far more appreciative of those that give you support. Not only that, but it provides a fantastic opportunity to develop your network of support to help you achieve your goals.

The more people you know, the easier your life will become. But how do you go about developing your network of contacts?

Here are three steps to get you started:

Think about who is in your network and the role they play. Identify those that are supportive and helpful and decide what you are going to do about those that are a negative influence on your life.

Now think about your goals and which contacts would be useful to help you achieve them. Perhaps you'd like a promotion at work, but need information from a colleague in another department. Or you might have a desire to revamp your garden, but don't have the necessary green fingers yet.

Finally, identify two people in your network with the skills and ideas you need. Take the opportunity to meet with them to discuss what you're trying to achieve. They'll probably be flattered that you've approached them and willing to help, possibly even putting you in touch with others in their network who can help you.

You have to help people to help you. Taking the time to examine your network of contacts will not only boost your self-esteem when you realise what support you've already been getting, but will also encourage you to get to know more people, including those who you could help in return.

Sarah Peat from Cheltenham found that family first was the best thing for her.

Sarah had decided that she really wanted to move away from the sleepy town where she lived to experience life in the city. She decided to mention this to her cousin Emily since she had done the same thing two years before. Emily was delighted to share her experiences and pass on tips. She even put Sarah in touch with a friend who had a spare room. Emily's advice was invaluable and after the move it was reassuring for Sarah to know that there was someone just around the corner who was there to help.

Remember that all your contacts have contacts of their own who could also be helpful to you. That expands your network many times over.

http://www.topwomenuk.com. This network is a forum in which women can develop and foster professional and social contacts with women from all walks of life. There are eight branches nationwide which meet regularly. If there isn't a women's network near you or at your workplace then why not get together with a few friends and start one?
The Girls' Guide to Power and Success by Susan Wilson Solovic. Great networking advice for women from the viewpoint that we form inclusive networks and are fabulous communicators.
Simplicity - Easy Ways to Simplify and Enrich Your Life by Elaine St James. If you are a natural networker and can't keep up with the whirl of invitations this book will help you to say no without guilt and choose to be with those you really want to be with.

Many of you have said how much you enjoy the relaxation and visualisation exercises that we do on my courses. Often this has been your first experience of this type of thing and you’d like to do more but struggle to talk yourself through it.

We now have a CD available which has a selection of guided relaxations that you can use at home.

If you'd like one of these at the special reader's price of Ł20 then email me today. But hurry, we have only 10 copies at this price.

In next month's issue of Positive Energy we'll look at how to set goals and build on the successes you've achieved so far.

Milecastle Consultancy Ltd
Tel: 01697 747 821 Email: sue.hewitt@milecastle.co.uk Website: www.milecastle.co.uk
Milecastle Consultancy Ltd, 1 Rose Cottages, Gilsland, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 7AP

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