What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Leaning on family, friends & acquaintances can help you navigate through life

The other day I was in a minor pickle. I ran out of gas at my place and the heater went down. I thought, what will I do? I know, I’ll google! Into one webpage, then another and then I was asked to use my credit card to get advice. Bloody hell! Then, I had a brainwave — I’ll ring my plumber mate. And five minutes later, it was sorted. I believe pursuing a good education is something we all need to do in life. But I also know that there is much more to being a successful part of and contributor to society than meets the eye. There is a lot to be said about experience when it comes to making the right decision. And by that I mean the right decision for you. Life is a challenge, and the everyday ups and downs create a unique maze for everyone, and often how we make our way through that maze determines both satisfaction and ultimately, happiness. You may be asking where am I going with this. Well, for me, success in combating the maze rests with the levers we pull to assist us. It might have something to do with the Italian and Irish blood that runs through my veins, but I truly reckon the first lever option is family. I’ve been brought up in an environment that has encouraged me to always put family first, and this leads to it being the first “go-to” to sort out problems and secure help and support. For me, it’s not just your immediate family of mum and dad, your sister or your brother. I have been able to successfully survive in this world due to support from uncles, aunts and numerous cousins. However, I do understand that some individuals can be quite isolated in respect to family — either it is limited or for some reason, the dynamics make it an unsupportive model. So, if that’s the case, is there another “go-to”? I reckon there is nothing wrong with leaning on friends and even just acquaintances. I have found that I am blessed living in a community like Geraldton, which is not too big, not too small. Networking is the next level that is available and something that can pay great dividends. Getting to know people in business, tradespeople and those you meet on the sporting field can really make a difference. Wasted time, heartache and patience wearing paper thin can all be avoided when we can phone a friend. Peter Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA. He’s also on Radio Geraldton (radiogeraldton.com.au)