Stress Management - Weave Your Own Safety Net For Job and Life Satisfaction

Pop Free Online Quiz Maker : What is the most important indicator of satisfaction in retirement? What is one of the most powerful predictors of job satisfaction?

You may be surprised to know that neither of these answers has anything to do with money. In each case, the answer is: friends. A supportive network of friends is more important for enjoyment of life in retirement than financial "security". And as far as job satisfaction goes, one of the most powerful predictors of job satisfaction is having at least one person at work that you consider a friend and you know cares about you as a person.

Amazing, isn't it? Our wellbeing depends on other people. You knew that, right? OK, then, I have an exercise for you. Get a pencil and paper and draw 3 concentric circles. The inner one can be very small - all that goes in it is your initials. Make the next one big enough that you can write the initials of your closest supportive friends and family in that ring.

Now, the last one needs to be big enough that you can write the names of people or groups of people that you know, but not intimately. These are what I call "close acquaintances". You know them by name, you may socialize with them, but they are not in your "inner circle". When you fill in this ring, you may write "Toastmasters" or "church" rather than try to list all the people by name. Outside the outer circle write the names of groups or places where you encounter strangers - church, the health club. Notice that the outside ring and the area outside the ring may share some groups in common.

For example, I don't know everyone in my church, so the people in my Sunday School class go in the outside ring and outside the ring I would write "church". Take a minute and actually do this.

Now, look at your list of names and ask yourself some questions:

Who listens to you and accepts you completely for who you are, without judgment?

Who challenges you, gives you feedback, and helps you see yourself more clearly?

Who affirms you, tells you that you are doing a good job, that you are on the right track?

Who do you have fun with?

If the same name keeps coming up over and over again, or if you don't have an answer for one of the questions, it might be a good idea to think about deliberately expanding your network - weaving your own safety net.

Post Source: EzineArticles