Networking Your Way to Friendships

I can live without tweets but I can’t live without friends.

The hot topic these days is social networking. Last month I went to three live networking groups where they gave presentations and all three were about twittering, facebooking and linking yourself into a connected life. I have joined all three on-line networks but my favorite networking is still in person.
Networks make me think of ways that I am reaching out to the world, collecting friends and associates. I'm in a women's community service organization, a dance class, a church choir, and exercise classes at the gym. I've also connected with many other coaches who I've met in my classes over the last few years. I'm even starting a new chapter of a women's networking group called Powerful You! After a recent launch into the business world, I want to meet new people so that I can "tell my story" and find all those people out there who want to know more about life coaching. I want to hear other peoples' stories too. I want to be a part of the personal growth that happens when people teach and support each other. And it's more than that. I have always enjoyed networking for the human contact, the support, the camaraderie and, of course, the friendships.
I love the fact that there are friends I can call on to walk my dog in an emergency, plan a trip into New York City for the day, get a pedicure, meet for lunch, plan a business workshop or cry on their shoulder on a bad day. I also like the fact that friends can count on me to visit them in the hospital or take them for Physical Therapy. That fact that I have done all of those things in the last month tells me I have some great friends and a thriving network.
It takes work to keep all that connection alive. And not everyone I stay connected to lives nearby. It takes more than tweeting or posting on walls at midnight. What it takes is time and the human voice, the empathy and the caring that friendships require. It takes personalized contact, whether by phone or email or visits. It takes effort. And it's worth it!

-Monica
(PS Thanks to Darlene for the topic suggestion! See you Monday for PT)