Partner with others

If you're having a difficult time moving forward in your career or personal life, no matter the challenge, sometimes it's helpful to partner with others.

Recently, I met with several women authors who are either getting ready to publish or have published new books. We all are looking for advice and direction on how to market our books. So we thought it would be helpful to get together and exchange ideas. Some of us are further along than others. Some of us are just getting started.

So we agreed to meet at a wine bar, and we spent that first evening learning a lot about each other's work. We each took turns sharing what our book projects are about, and it was truly an inspiring evening. One author's book helps her readers eat and live healthier, another author's book guides readers through techniques that lead you to become your authentic self, and mine (which isn't out yet) guides you through the Backroads & Byways of Arizona (Countryman Press, Fall 2009).

Just getting together like this made us each realize that together we can do good things, and the meeting led to a connection with someone I might not have spent time with otherwise.

But we've already run into our first snag--time. I've proposed a second meeting and hope it'll occur soon, but summer schedules are taking over, and I know that's going to be another challenge to overcome. I think what will happen is our group will become slightly smaller, but I do think we'll continue meeting.

I've already discovered that one of the authors is willing to drive around the state with me to promote our books together. So if nothing more comes out of this first meeting, that did. And that's something. It also solidifies my thoughts about creating partnerships wherever possible; it sure makes those daunting tasks ahead seem a lot easier to bear. Most importantly, you are reminded you're not alone.

So partner up! Find someone to help you through the challenges that crop up both normally and not so normally. Find a group of like-minded (or not) people who are working on something similar as yourself and could use outside input. The blogathon that's taking place this month here at BIKE WITH JACKIE is another good example of partnering benefits. I've seen my page hits go up. I'm attracting new readers. And, hopefully, I'm helping some of you out there handle your own headaches. Sometimes, it takes an aspirin. But other times, it just takes a little exercise--in positive action.

Now let's hear from you. Has there been a time when you've partnered up? What happened because of it? What lessons did you learn? If you'll share your stories here, your words might help someone else, and I always appreciate the input.

And thanks to Andrea Beaulieu for sending me the photo from our first authors' meeting. Can you tell we had a great time? And look at us proudly show off our work. Sweet!