4
The Value of a Support Network
No comments · Posted by admin in Determination, General, Inspirational
Do you have an adequate support network? You know – close friends who you can call upon when you are facing challenges in life.
We always expect life to go exactly as we planned. That very rarely happens. Frequently unexpected problems arise. Sometimes these can be very severe.
Problems – The Storms of Life
Les Brown, the motivational speaker, has an interesting view on this. Many years ago I heard him say that life is far from smooth. Les called problems the storms of life. He added at any point we are heading into a storm, in the middle of a storm or on the way out of one. We get a brief rest and then the next storm is coming along.
When these problems or storms of life as Les Brown calls them come along, how do you respond? Do you try to handle them on your own? Do you have a support network, a group of good friends, who you can rely on for the help you need to deal with and get through the problem?
Think back to the last problem you had.
If you didn’t let anyone know of the problem you faced and tried to handle it on your own, how much time did it take you to resolve it? Did it take longer than you expected? Did you get the outcome that you desired?
If you have a support network, did you let the people in your network know of your problem? What type of help did they give you? How quickly was the problem resolved? Did you get the outcome you desired?
It is a Sign of Weakness For a Man
to Disclose a Problem
We men are led to believe that we should resolve problems we have on our own. Letting others know of our problems is a sign of weakness. So we shouldn’t ask for help.
Women are different. They normally reach out to friends when they have problems. They are not afraid to ask for help.
For most of my life I was the typical male. At any time I only had one or two close friends. I didn’t discuss problems I had with them. They might think less of me if they knew what I was facing.
Intentionally Building a Support Network
Over the last 15 years I have made a dramatic change. Intentionally I started to build relationships with more men. Right now I have 10 or 11 men in my inner circle. These are men with whom I can discuss any problems that I have.
I know that I can rely on them. If I have a problem, I can go to them for advice. If they don’t have advice for me, I know that they will give me their support.
How Has My Support Network Helped Me?
First – I deal with my problems more effectively. My friends help me to look at what action I can take more clearly. They also follow up with me to see what I have done.
Second – I am able to resolve problems more quickly now. In the past I would procrastinate and hope that the problem would resolve on its own. Problems would drag on and on. Now they are resolved more quickly.
Third – I have more peace and happiness in my life. Problems don’t disrupt my life for extended periods of time. I don’t obsess over them.
Start Building Your Network Today
If you are where I was, if you are trying to resolve problems on your own and are not pleased with the outcomes that you are getting, make a change. Start to build your own support network. Make friends with people you truly like.
Let them know that you will support them. Ask them if they will support you when you need it.
When you have problems, take a chance. Call your friends, let them know what is happening. Ask them for their help.
You may feel uncomfortable the first few times you do this. As you reach out, you will find that your friends will come up with ideas and suggestions for you that you hadn’t thought of. You will be able to resolve your problems more quickly. You will have more peace and happiness in your life.
Much Success,
Bob Paroski
Related Posts:
No tags
