What is your story?

What is the narrative that you tell yourself about yourself? 

My office is full of meaningful messages, my clothes often have some sort of positive messages, as does my jewelry. It is a representation of me and my story. I got these bracelets years ago when I started paying attention to what I surround myself with. I call them my "motivational wearables". These bracelets, in particular, are meaningful to me. They are a constant reminder for what I stand for:

"Work hard, Be bold and Own it."

I was raised by a single Mom who worked 3 jobs to ensure my brother and I were taken care of and that we had food on the table. Outside of those essentials, we did not have much. What we did have an abundance of was an example. She ingrained in me a deep sense of work ethic. In her own way, she showed me that I could make it, no matter what "it" was, so long as I didn't give up. Perseverance, grit, and resourcefulness run through our blood because of the hardships. Those characteristics were a gift I received early in life and didn't realize for a long time.

For many years I lacked self-confidence. This surprises people, but it is painfully true. If it weren't for other people believing in me, seeing something in me that I couldn't see, guiding and mentoring me, I would probably not be where I am today. I never felt deserving of a promotion or new role when I would get them. I always kept in the back of my mind that it was a fluke. This feeling is now commonly referred to as "Imposter Syndrome". During one of the most difficult times of my life, personally and professionally, I was in a place where what I was made of was being tested. I called my Mom to get her advice and her response to me was "Sweetheart, you are no shrinking violet". She couldn't have said anything more powerful to me. She was right and that would begin to define me in ways I didn't even realize. It was time to stand up and show exactly what I was made of. That decision cost me some things that were very important to me, but what I gained out of it was even greater. I started to own my voice and my space. I owned the decisions I have made and the actions I have taken, good and bad. If anyone was going to forge the path for my life, why would it be anyone else other than me? I learned to truly embody being bold.

There is ownership in our story. Don't lose sight of the fact that YOU are the author. We can let our story be defined by our childhood, our traumas, our failures, our successes, or our fears, but know in all of it, there is a choice. I choose to believe that darn near anything is possible. I choose to believe that I am nowhere near where I want to be, but I am better than I was yesterday. I choose to believe that a closed mouth is a hungry mouth and the sky is the limit. I choose to believe that the "tough stuff" in life has been a gift that happened for me and not to me. I would not be the person I am today without every chapter along the way.

What is your story?