What does today mean to you? If you are out of work or finding yourself as a business owner or consultant not making anywhere what you used to make being free doesn’t seem to mean as much. You’re in a “holding pattern.” You don’t feel like you are free to do much of anything. Your wallet tells you, over and over again, “Don’t spend anything unless you absolutely have to.”

But you want to do SOMETHING. You think of all kinds of ways to get out of the rut you are in. You start to network. Each new person you meet could, perhaps, maybe, possibly be the connector to the next job or the next new piece of business.

I just got done reading Chris Brogan’s blog today. It’s about independence. He has been where many of you are. He lived on Ramen Noodles. I lived on peanut butter. What did you or are you living on when you are in a rut?

Chris says the day of the one job or one big client (I would say) is over. I would agree. I have been an entrepreneur for twenty-three years. In July of 1987 I started Service Showcase, Inc., the holding company of Networlding. It took me twelve years to get out of the rut I had put myself in from paying for college on my own (second through fourth years), graduate school and law school as well as the $50,000 I put in to start my business. I can’t say that I still don’t have peanut butter  weeks. I do.

In fact this last month has been a peanut butter month. So what advice can I give you? I would say that, like Chris, we should look to one another. We should see where our skills lie and our passions are and start to share with those in our network how we have helped others become more successful. Yesterday I did that and here is a short list to help you imagine what yours might be:

• Helped Stephen Simon (producer of “Somewhere in Time” and “What Dreams May Come”) get his spiritual cinema community growing through a ten-city book tour. This is now a very big success.
• Helped my sister get her start in life by sharing with her that I think she should go into sales. Now she is extremely successful with a healthy six-figure income.
• I helped a great company named Time Zone One land one of  their biggest clients.
• I helped John St. Augustine connect with someone in Networlding that led to him becoming Senior Producer of  The Oprah Winfrey Show.
• I helped Andres Tapia get his first book out which realized him at least a million-dollar new client and a 20% increase in speaking.

How have you helped others? How does that translate for your network? Comment below. Share your list. Join the Networlding Group on LinkedIn and share your stories. Declare a NEW INDEPENDENCE for yourself.

ps. Note. I am changing my name to Melissa Wilson now as I got married and it’s also easier to brand! So you can find me by that name also. Thanks!