Happy Women’s History Month!
I hope you enjoyed your weekend. The weather has been crazy here in Philadelphia. Within a week’s time, we went from 70-degree warmth back to 17-degree coldness.
I didn’t let the drastic temperature swings keep from my duties at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania last Friday, where I was the Keynote Speaker for their 2017 Conference of the Commission on Human Diversity. The theme was Social Justice and Diversity: Sharing Perspectives: Envisioning the Future.
How did I get selected for this opportunity? The Commission’s Director attended another keynote I provided in January for Americorps. After my speech, he invited me to speak. When we met for our connection call, I asked him what about me resonated with him. He explained that he loved how I shared my story and how I leveraged my various experiences to make key decisions during my life and career.
Here’s how my keynote began…
“When I was eight years old, I wrote in my second-grade journal that I wanted to jump out the window and take the dog with me.”
During my speech, I explained how the events that transpired that day led to me making a major decision about who I wanted to be. I had to choose between the expected path given my environment (my mother’s life of poverty and drug abuse) and the hope in the unseen…a life where I pursued the vision given to me shortly after my journal entry- to go to Harvard and become a doctor.
In my keynote, I emphasize this constant connection to “Who I Be” fostered through both self-led and facilitated reflection resulted in me becoming a Social Justice professional and a Black Woman CEO coach.
After my talk, numerous faculty, staff, and students approached to me explain how my story touched them. A secretary shared how she’d been sexually abused and never told anyone. One faculty member, who was a morning workshop presenter that day, told me during lunchtime that she wrote the questions I provided on the board during her session, where she covered the topic of empathy.
As you can see, there’s power in our story. This power doesn’t just benefit us individually, it impacts others too.
There is a community of people waiting on you to share your story. They want to know the lessons you’ve learned. They desire to experience your training and coaching.
Will you show up for those people who need what you uniquely offer?
If yes, that’s great! If no, then ask yourself, why not?
… Do you think, “Who I am” to share my story?
… Do you feel, “Nobody cares what I have to say?”
…Do you wonder, “Will anyone pay me for my story?”
If you’re struggling with any aspect of the above statements, it’s going to hold you back within your business.
Don’t worry. I’m here to help you get unstuck so you can stand powerfully in your story. Tomorrow, March 8th at 12:15pm EST, we’re having a Black Woman CEO Talk: The Power Of Your Story
- The importance of your story to your business success
- How to get paid to share your story as a speaker, trainer or coach
- 3 powerful ways to feel more confident in who you are and what you do.
This talk will happen in our Black Woman CEO Circle facebook group. Don’t miss out, click here to join the group so you can watch live or catch the replay.
Head over to the Facebook group now to post any questions you have about walking powerfully in your story or about leveraging your story for your business success.
See you tomorrow!
