I’ve had quite a long break from networking. Mainly due to lockdown but then just not getting around to going back. I was still designing websites and still had a full schedule, so as far as I was concerned all was well.
But it is not that simple! Whether we know it or not COVID and lockdown had a massive effect on all of us. We became accepting of a way of life that was completely different to what we knew. Online networking became the big thing but that didn’t work for me, so I simply didn’t do it any more. Apart from my clients my relationship with the outside world was deteriorating. As a freelance web designer I do find that I can suffer from cabin fever but this didn’t seem to be happening, which was unusual.
This made me question a lot of things and sent me into a bit of a downward spiral, did I want to run my website design business any more? Could I survive without it? Would that make for an easier life? The answer to all of these was probably a resounding yes but that was NOT the answer. I have to admit that I lost momentum for a while, I went part time and spent more time doing things around the home and garden.
Looking back now what I didn’t realise was that I needed to come back up and out of the black hole that I had dug for myself. I can’t say I felt depressed or anything like that, if I had to put a label on it I would call it indifference.
I woke up one day and definitely smelled the coffee! I decided I was going back to work proper. I did care about my business, I never stopped caring about my clients and I was certainly not ready to garden full-time.
So last month I started back to networking. I have joined a Womens Business Networking group in nearby Bath. That gives me two things:
- The opportunity to meet with like minded Women on a regular basis.
- The chance to visit a beautiful city once a month.
Just taking this one small step and venturing back into the room of unfamiliar faces has done me the world of good! Those unfamiliar faces were friendly and welcoming and by the end of our two hour lunch I found myself really enjoying the interaction. I love learning about people and what they do but the best bit is that we are all in the same boat. We seem to need each other; not for business or money but for friendship and support, empathy and shared experiences. The whole thing gave me a real lift and left me in no doubt that I wanted my fabulous business to get 100% back on track.
Since joining I have learned that they have power groups, including creative media and marketing and I am really looking forward to sharing experiences and brainstorming with people in my industry.
So thank you Women Mean Biz for helping me get my mojo back, I cannot wait for the next meeting.
Happy days!
