No Regrets Challenge August 10, 2018 (see August 10, 2018 on my Facebook page for video)
Today is August 10, 2018. I’ve already touched on two of the three catalysts I discuss in my book Growing Bold — Setting a Meaningful Goal and Building Self-confidence. Today I am going to talk about the third catalyst, which is Shifting your Perspective.
Until 2007 I didn’t think I was smart. I’m not 100% sure where this idea came from, but I think it had to do with my skin color. I attended a predominately white school through fourth grade. Even though, for the most part I didn’t feel like I was treated differently, it was obvious from the color of my skin that I was.
In the summer of 2007 I had interviewed for a job at Genworth Financial. At the conclusion of the interview the hiring manager, who had earned her MBA from Harvard, said to me, “You know, you are a smart cookie.” In that moment I not only felt relieved that my responses to her tough hypothetical questions were satisfactory, but I immediately felt and knew I was intelligent.
My future boss hadn’t suddenly made me smart by telling me this, but it took this acknowledgement from her, someone who I considered to be very bright (and who wasn’t my mom) for me to see and truly accept this quality in myself.
So, today’s No Regrets questions are:
- What experiences have you had that have shifted your perspective about yourself or your situation to a more positive and empowering one?
- What had been your belief? Where did that belief come from?
- And what caused you to see your situation differently?
I’d love it if you would share your experiences below.
Sometimes the things people say to us can have a huge impact on us. This can work both in shifting our perspectives from the positive to the negative and from the negative to the positive, as my example shows. The same goes for what we say to ourselves. It is important to be aware of this when you talk to others and when you talk to yourself.
See you again tomorrow.
Patricia Brooks is a life experiences coach, speaker, and the author of Growing Bold: How to Overcome Fear, Build Confidence, and Love the Life you Live. She is the host of the Discovering Courage Podcast where each week she explores how ordinary people have managed to live extraordinary lives. Patricia is currently living in France, pursuing her dreams.
Photo Credit: Nicole Mason