Self-confidence
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Looking within or without?
“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” ~Anna Freud, psychoanalyst and daughter of Sigmund Freud The world of social media revolves around building a brand and attracting followers. It’s not a solo actvity. Few people I know use social media platforms without hoping to attract, entertain, inform, or provoke an audience, even if it’s just a small one. Without question, it’s fueled by the reward of earning “likes,” validation, and constant attention. As any psychiatrist would tell us, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with that — especially if we’re using social media to build community in positive…
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Shine on!
“To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.” ~Roy T. Bennett The neighbors across the street keep adding to their holiday lights display. Rising in the dark each morning, I see a brilliant show of twinkling icicles and glittering tree branches when I sip my first cup of coffee in my home office, which overlooks our neighborhood. Late November in Michigan is notoriously bleak — and these holiday light displays are a lovely way to cheer things up. I’ve often wondered why people remove them so soon after the new year. The holiday season is the perfect time to talk about shining. Remember: You don’t have…
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Be kind to yourself
“I dreamed I called you on the telephone to say: Be kinder to yourself.” ~Adrienne Rich, poet and essayist In her hit song, “Harshest Critic,” Allison Ponthier asks: “Why is ‘being good to myself’ for someone else?” and “Who’s the harshest critic in the room?” I think we all know the answer. Most of us are incredibly hard on ourselves. On one hand, constructive self-criticism can be helpful at times (though a true narcissist would disagree). Most of us learn from our mistakes or oversights when we’re willing to admit them and repair the damages. We can grow from the soil of what went wrong. But if we get stuck…
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… And don’t look back
“Contrary to popular opinion, quitting is for winners. Knowing when to quit — change direction, leave a toxic situation, demand more from life, give up on something that wasn’t working and move on — is a very important skill that people who win in life always seem to have.” ~Steven Bartlett I love it when friends share fabulous quotes with me, and the one I’m using today is a case in point. Have you ever had to leave a toxic workplace or difficult relationship that created more stress and drama than satisfaction? Did you ever find yourself investing way more of yourself in something/anything than you were getting out of…
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Playing from the heart
“If I am smart in business, it’s just that I’m smart about who I am. I know what I can, can’t, will, and won’t do. And if I have to be strict about that, I will.” ~Dolly Parton I’ve always admired Dolly Parton. Not necessarily because of her musical talents — although it’s worth noting that she can play close to 20 instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin and pan-flute. Even with those long acrylic fingernails. I get a kick out of her over-the-top wardrobe, personality, and showmanship. As Dolly’s quote reminds us, it takes a huge helping of self-confidence to pull it off. But what impresses me even more is her…
