The Value of Networking

Humans have always known the importance of networking with others. The earliest road systems developed from paths and trails and appeared with the invention of wheeled vehicles around 3000BC facilitated trade, provided ways on which people, animals, or wheeled vehicles move, integrated people and businesses.

Since we travel the career path as well as the family path, like our forefathers, we recognize the value of networking. We go to meetings and join clubs for the express purpose of meeting people who can assist us and vice-versa. But if you join social communities without a clear strategy for maximizing their value, you may end up as a wall-flower, merely watching other people network and wondering why you gave up the time in the first place.

Kathleen, a relative, was so sick of her job that she woke every Monday morning with a severe headache. Sometimes, she burst into tears at the sound of the alarm. However, even with messages as strong as these, she continued to work, literally dragging herself to work. When I asked her why, she said she believed there is no other job for her and she would never find any job superior than her present so she better stay put. She said that a voice in her head would constantly tell her she is darn lucky to have this work. In addition, deeply buried in her was a barely audible voice persistenly whispering all her failures in life.

Close your eyes, and visualize your physical, emotional, and mental selves. They can appear in any form or you may merely sense them. If you are feeling chaotic, they may appear confused, swirling out of control. After you sense these three aspects of yourself, envision your Higher Self - the spiritual part - above the other three. Softly say, "gather together . . . together . . . be together". As you repeat the words up to nine times, picture them uniting under and into your spiritual self.

Courageously, Kathleen began to greet these inner strangers. She found that many of the should and have to they spoke echoed her life as a young, single mother having to work to support herself and her child. But, there was this voice she became acquainted with, a tiny little girl who believed she does not deserve happiness. Kathleen made a commitment to comfort that little person who said she is a failure.


Continue to meditate, visualize and make the effort to search for the causes behind the negative voices. Forgive and understand your selves until you begin to feel a sense of calm instead of the chaos. Even though this exercise may seem simplistic, it speaks powerfully to our subconscious mind and allows us to gather our energies, naturally harmonizing our feelings.


Kathleen's self esteem expanded as her internal voices became confident. Before she could successfully network socially, she had to network with her selves. Although the confrontations were painful, it opened her eyes to acceptance, humility, and responsibility. After a while, her negative voices that have been persistently pestering became discouraged and they disappeared altogether.

Prayer:

Help me God
To give up excusing for my failures
To take responsibility for my actions
To replace chaos with calm
To have harmony and balance
To love and accept all what I am today
Amen.