Your daily dose of awesome. Watch for tomorrow’s email for even more fun stuff.
Sorry. But I’m Not Sorry.
Before I get into the video that I wanted to share today, I feel like I want to say something about the word “Sorry”.
The word “sorry” is very powerful. Yes, it has a LOT of power.
We know that when we hurt someone (or are hurt by someone), that the word sorry can break down barriers, repair friendships, save marriages, heal deep painful wounds, and bring together countries.
That’s super important and I hope that everyone in the Awesomization Nation would make the effort to apologize when we’ve hurt someone, whether intentional (which we can sometimes do) or unintentional (which with awesome people like us is usually the case).
HOWEVER, that’s not what I want to talk about in this lesson.
I’ve noticed that many of us (and it seems more women than men) apologize ALL the time. And that’s what I’d like to discuss.
In our Beachpreneurs hangouts and calls, I notice this a lot.
Me: Wow! Is it ever raining by you. Look at your window!
Her: Oh sorry…
Me: You’re sorry that you caused a Tropical Storm?
Her: Well, I didn’t cause it…
Me: And exactly why are you apologizing then? I was only noticing because I was concerned about you.
Sidenote: I’m not always this sassy. But we’d already forbidden this amazingly brilliant woman from apologizing for things that she could not possibly control. 😉
Also, in one of my yoga classes, the teacher apologizes and explains throughout the entire class.
Her: I know I messed up teaching this last week, but I think we can try again.
Her: I am sorry if this is confusing this time around. It’s my first attempt at teaching this move.
Her: I hope it’s ok to try this new move on everyone. I’m sorry if it’s a little difficult.
My wish for each of you (and myself… again I’m talking to me, too) is that we all feel comfortable enough in our own skins and in our own POWER to be able to stop that nasty nasty habit.
Whether we are business owners or entrepreneurs in this group, I would say the majority of us are leaders in some capacity in our lives whether in our work, at church, volunteering, at home.
And I believe that being timid and apologizing and stepping around things is NOT stepping into leadership. It’s letting everyone else be in power over us.
PLUS – those of us with children, they are watching. Our daughters and sons. I want mine to be able to confidently navigate this planet without EVER having to apologize for just being. For existing. For moving and making decisions on this earth. For leading.
So, why is it ok for me to do be sorry for taking up my space in life? It’s not.
Strong leaders apologize when we are wrong. We do so graciously, genuinely, and from the heart.
We do not, however, apologize for existing on this planet and taking up the space that we have EVERY right to take up. We have every right to expand and stretch and grow and impact and influence – without apology and I hope that we will get comfortable enough to do so.
How to Feel Powerful When you Don’t.
Now that we’ve talked a bit about stepping into power and I’ve said my piece, I’m sharing this video because I feel that increasing your confidence will have a catalyst effect on everything that you do. And since you’re focusing on being awesome, WATCH OUT WORLD!
*A big thanks to Kelly McCausey for sharing this video with me last year. 😉 It helps. <3
Giving you the confidence to be AWESOME even if you have to fake it for a bit…
Another resource you might like is this book. It’s a good pep-talk. 🙂
The book:
The audio:
Big hugs and high fives,
Nicole