What is a piece of advice you have been given, but have failed to take to heart?
For me the answer used to be: Be Yourself.
Authenticity is high on the list of my personal values. However, sometimes we need the unbiased insight of another person to point out where we may be falling short.
After presenting a speech recently at my
Toastmasters Club, the evaluator commented on how I consistently use relevant
quotes in my presentations. Fantastic! As a suggestion for growth, they noted that I
should consider quoting myself sometime. Huh?
“Step out from behind the microphone and let your audience see the real Darryl Hartwick,” another evaluator offered as a suggestion for improvement at another of our club’s weekly meetings.
I had spent decades of my professional life researching, reporting, and performing as a radio broadcaster, journalist, and post-secondary educator. Now, I was being asked to reveal more of myself, and to share my knowledge, my opinions, and wisdom. I started doing so, and slowly I have found the process to be both energizing and rewarding.
I have learned that to live authentically, you must be prepared to change the narrative in your mind to include these three key phrases:
1. I am enough
2. It does not have to be perfect
3. I am not going to worry about others’ opinions of me
Let yourself BE.