The first thing people ask when you say you are having swimming lessons is “can you not swim?” followed by a look of utter confusion when I confirm that not only can I swim, but that I do it rather well.
I just strongly believe that you should never stop learning. Never stop improving. Never imagine that you are at the top of your game. Cos you probably aint.
The rise of social media (of which I am obviously eternally grateful for) has brought with it a permanent state of envy. Can you honestly say that you have never compared your life to someone else’s and thought to yourself ‘jammy bastard’… ?! These days you can present yourself in public in the best possible light because the internet is like one massive CV. Highlight what you like about yourself (exaggerate it somewhat) and hide the bits that you don’t. I learnt this years ago after a job application went hideously wrong when the ’employer’ personally insulted me over the number of food photos on my Facebook… I wanted to punch him at the time, was apoplectic with rage, but then I realised he had a point and went through my privacy settings and shut the public out.
So what was the point of this… oh yeah, learning curves.
Over the last few weeks I have spent a ridiculous amount of time putting together a flyer for local businesses. I’ve researched prices, spent hours designing and redesigning it, finally got them printed and even delivered them by hand (on my way to swimming). Then I sat back and waited for my website to go crazy… nothing. No spike in views, one new FB follower, no leads.
So I shake it off, and on with the next phase: networking.
Even though I am one of the most socially awkward people you have ever met (with zero tolerance for stupid people and no poker face whatsoever) I’ve always quite enjoyed networking. Put me in a room full of potential customers and BAM! game face on, the most interested and interesting person you’ve ever met has just entered the room. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and finding out everything about them, without remembering their names unfortunately. A friend recommended it, so we headed off to a top secret location (Spelsbury village hall – you try and find it) to meet with Chippy Lippy, a local networking group just for women. It is relaxed and informal, you get to do arty stuff and there is wine. Beats driving and running around in the dark trying to find letterboxes any day.
I won this in the art competition. PS: I am now aware that I badly need to clean my keyboard.