Is It Really Ok To Be Selfish?
Last weekend I attended the 2023 PowerUp Conference, hosted by Take the Lead. It wasn’t the typical type of conference that I usually attend which usually focuses on public relations or running an agency.
This one-day conference was by women for women, creating conversations and engaging content focused on tips, tricks, tools and techniques to be (more) successful in the world. Topics included women building wealth, the entrepreneurial journey, reinventing your career and a woman’s health lifecycle. The underlying message in all the presentations is in order to take care of others, we need to take care of ourselves.
That’s why the roundtable discussion entitled Be SELF-ish: How to create boundaries without sacrificing your career was of particular interest.
Led by Giovanna Rossi, ACC, MSc, the discussion centered on how to RESET so as to not feel overwhelmed or guilty when it comes to putting yourself first.
R: reject the status quo. I thought it more appropriate to redefine the status quo, but whatever you call it, you need to be aware of the expectations and make them work for you.
E: end apologies. How many times do you say “I’m sorry” in a given day. Why? Instead of “I’m sorry I’m late” consider instead “thanks for waiting.” A slight shift in the approach moves it away from an apology to a statement of fact.
S: start asking for support. This one is a tough one as we don’t want to seem like we don’t have it all figured out. But there is tremendous value in asking for help. People like to provide knowledge, expertise and support to others. So why not ask for it?
E: establish boundaries. Remember, that “No” is a complete sentence. The past few years have given us all the opportunity to re-prioritize and set some boundaries. The boundaries can certainly change, but make sure they work for you.
T: try being SELF-ish. Give yourself permission to focus on what’s important to you. You’ll show up much more engaged with those around you when you do.
