Support Systems Don’t Have to be Tricky

So, you’re on the right path – you know what you want to accomplish and you’ve broken down your goals into actionable steps, you’ve scheduled these things into your calendar and you’re rarin’ to go!  Now what?  Do you have a support system there to back you up?  Do you really?

I read a great article, written by Leonie Dawson – “Are Your Friends Setting You Up to Shine or Stumble?”  Go take a look at it, there’s some really good information.  In it, she reminds us that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, and that we should seek out people who are more successful than we are, there’s also Warren Buffet’s quote about hanging out with people whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.  All very viable, wonderful advice.

But… what if you don’t have anyone in your life, like that, that could be a great support system?   Chances are that if you’re climbing up this great big wall of success, some of the people in your life might not be so happy about it. Or, they’re happy for you, but still stuck in the same rut they were in, that maybe you shared with them? That’s a tough place to be.   You’ve spent lots of time with these people, commiserating about this or that and now you’re ready to leave it behind, but they just might not be. I know how hard that is.

Maybe you’re super lucky and have a great local group, already in place.. if so, congratulations!  That rocks! But some of us have to struggle a little bit to find the people who will help us jump to the next level.

Finding that Support System

So what do you do? Where can you go? Well that’s where you’re lucky.  There are so many places to look for like-minded individuals, and I’m going to share a bunch of them here.  Pick one, join them all, whichever feels right for you, Sugar Plum (some of the links are affiliates, but I never recommend anything I don’t absolutely believe in).

• Meetup – There are so many different Meetup groups.  Try looking for something a little bit different.  Toastmasters is a great way to meet people and gain confidence in public speaking.  Chances are very good that there will be other people there who are on a path similar to yours.  Seek them out, make friends. Maybe start your own Meetup group, tailored to your particular needs, you never know who might show up.
• Facebook Groups – Local or Global – I belong to lots of groups that focus on my interests.  Business, creativity, hobbies, music, design, everything you can imagine.  Do a search for local networking, or whatever your business is about, there’s so much out there.
• Score – find a mentor to help you get where you’re looking to go.  Free!
• Your local Chamber of Commerce
• Women Venture – “WomenVenture helps women of all ages, cultures, races and income levels achieve economic success.” – that sounds like something we can get behind, right?
• The Red Shoe Movement – another one I discovered while researching this article. “A movement of women supporting women for career success, our mission is to help increase female representation at the highest levels of decision-making across all kinds of organizations.”
• NOW – The National Organization for Women – find your local chapter and get involved in women’s rights – you’ll meet all kinds of women who are interested in helping one another and women around the world to move forward in the direction of equal rights.

The most important part of this search is that you honor your instincts.  I once had an appointment with a supposed mentor, who basically told me that  I was a “housewife with a hobby, not a business” – That was in 1998 and he just didn’t understand what I did, not to mention his archaic attitude about a woman’s place in the workplace.  If someone makes you feel undervalued, get up and leave.  Try the next resource. Don’t give up.  And if you’d like me to be part of your support system… Fill out the form below.