Be Who You Are Right Now

 “It’s so easy to get stressed out by the to-do list, the chores at home, the requests…we might feel like we need to be more or do more, but we can only do what we can with what we have in that moment.”

-Kim Pisolkar

A Journey to Self-Discovery & Success

“I was part of the in-crowd, but I never felt like I really belonged anywhere,” shared Kim Pisolkar as she recalled her youth during a recent Women Taking the Lead podcast interview.

For those of you who don’t know Kim, she is the CEO of Small Biz BIG Breakthrough and is passionate about helping business leaders take back control of their time, energy and to-do list so they can have more fun, flexibility and profitability.

Kim chatted about some of her “playing small moments”, many of which included putting labels on herself – labels that limited her mindset, and ultimately, her experience.

She would come to realize that labels are just part of who we are…but they’re not who we are. You are so much more than one thing…than one label, explained Kim.

If you fall into the trap of allowing a label to define who you are as a person and actually attach your identity to that label, you’ll live within the label and forever limit yourself.

Being Yourself Isn’t Just About You

HBR author Tony Schwartz shares his own story of how impactful and freeing it can be to express your feelings and to feel “truly listened to without judgment.”

Schwartz says that each one of us has a “tipping point” – that moment when we feel so drained that we slip into survival mode. “We’re often unaware of it, but when we move from feeling calm and secure to anxious and under siege, we literally become different people,” Schwarz explains.

What’s the cure? Community, according to Schwarz. A supportive community can give each of us “the strength to forego immediate gratification in favor of choices that uphold shared values, serve the collective good, and generate long-term value.”

When you label people and view them within the confines of that label, you unwittingly diminish who they are and the impact that the interaction might have for the both of you.

Remember to take a step back and allow others to shine, too. Let their authenticity come alive! You might be amazed at what you both learn from the experience.

What You See is What You Get

During our chat, Kim shared another golden nugget of advice: If you try to be who you think someone expects you to be, it never works.

She says that one common mistake she sees is that a lot of people take on Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde personas, meaning they’re one person when they’re with one group and a totally different person in another group.

Release the labels of what you are or aren’t so you can embrace true freedom and authenticity – as a leader and as a human being. Get clear about your values and about what’s really important to you so you can operate in a way that feels authentic.

The bottom line: Be authentic. Be transparent. Just be yourself.

Resources

Leadership Operating System Quiz: Wondering what kind of Leadership traits you have? Take this FREE, FAST quiz and find out more about yourself as a Leader.

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing: A simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

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