LEARNING TO REACH OUT
This last month I’ve really ramped up the amount of time and effort I put into reaching out to others. On the most part, these are people who are likely very busy and often have no idea who I am.
In some circumstances, I’ve followed their careers or social media accounts for a while, and for others I’ve just happened across them or been recommended to look them up.
What I love most about reaching out is that you never know what will come of it. Having founded the LIVING MORE OF A LIFE podcast, it is almost like I’ve given myself the excuse I needed to be able to reach out to others who share similar values. With each conversation I find myself growing in confidence, inspiration, excitement and community feeling.
So far, I’ve had someone who I can’t get even get through to on the phone or by email directly agree to be on the podcast later in the year. I’ve spoken to a lady who I’d only just come across and the conversation went from business to feminine issues to menstrual awareness and back to business. Another it turns out lives within an hour of me and we are due to meet for a cuppa. Others have recommended great resources, books or, people to look up to continue my journey.
Each time I have approached someone, I haven’t worried about them rejecting me or cutting me short. I’ve just reached out being willing to see how it goes. Want to test the theory? Hell, why not write to Michelle Obama, following her own podcast launch soon after mine. Don’t get me wrong, I have very little faith I’ll hear back from her, but you just never know do you? I guess my sales experience has put me in good stead for this, but there is something very different between being rejected as an employee of a company, and being rejected as yourself.
Still, the experience of having to find a weekly guest for the podcast, whilst just reaching out to others who inspire me has increased my confidence in the area of just giving things a go. Because you know what, nothing will come of doing nothing!
An added bonus about reaching out and sharing my thoughts and interests with others is the following: people start to think about you when they hear something on the radio, see something in a newspaper or hear of someone on social media. You start to receive messages which help on your journey. To these people, I am very appreciative of their support in my journey.