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Networking is the name of the game…. If you don’t put yourself out there how will anyone know you exist much less what you have to offer? It’s about regularly developing relationships with folks who at one point were strangers – or friends you haven’t met yet…….

The old images of businesses in a small town where your reputation had spread, everyone knew your name, and they were delighted to come in and support your business may still exist but fewer and fewer of us see that reality. It is so much more about putting yourself out there. Marketing and yet as times go on, so much more. 

In speaking to a wonderful colleague this morning, we were discussing our businesses and our desire to serve, teach, and train others. As we were talking, I could see and feel the passion, the excitement, for each of us in doing what we love. We just wanted the opportunity to do it even more. We spoke of the illusions you can project on social media, where everyone’s life is consistently on top of the world versus the reality of everyday life and business. 

Loving what you do is a gift. The truth is, finding the balance of doing what you love professionally with taking the time to “nest,” to play, and to have quiet alone time is a skill we are continuously trying to develop. For entrepreneurs it also entails the need to work both IN your business (doing what you love) and ON your business (creating those opportunities to do just that.) For me, it also comes down to seeing life as an adventure of adapting, growing, and changing as your needs and wants grow and change. 

Think of all the balls in the air, networking, working, creating opportunities, being blessed with opportunities being brought to your door, “nesting”, playing, spending time with family and friends, and alone time to reflect, relax, and relinquish the illusion of control. If you forget who you are, it can be so easy to get caught in the news cycle of downward markets, limited opportunities, and hopeless anxiety. What about faith and humor? What about trusting your own ability to adapt, readjust, and come out ahead? What about realizing you have always come out Ok or so much better? 

We always need to keep reading and learning but in addition, we need to trust our own intuition, our inner knowing, and our own sense of what best calls us to confront our fears, take risks to grow and expand our dreams. For me, supporting visionary leaders in expanding and following their dreams, living their purpose, and staying healthy and happy while doing it is an imperative. That makes me sooo happy.  

Networking, speaking, and sharing my wisdom with unconditional love, humor, and faith whether with clients, an audience, or with friends I haven’t met yet, makes my day. My wish for each of us is knowing what feeds our soul, having as many opportunities as we want to do just that, and in addition having the time to just be.  It may be asking a lot, but if you are going to ask anyway, why not go for the whole shabang???? 

Dorothy

Dr. Dorothy’s life story of coming from an orphanage, being raised in the housing projects of South Boston, becoming a Catholic nun, an international airline stewardess, a wife, mother, graduate faculty member, Clinical Instructor at a Medical School, and so much more provides the perfect backdrop for her message of joy, humor, passion and faith as the necessary tools for life.