We Deserve the Centerstage
Founder @THEKarenA Confidence&Performance Coach / Owner @The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center
December 4, 2023
I am walking on air from the event I keynoted last week Thursday ~ "Your Centerstage Moment"; created by the International Association of Women, L.A. chapter. It was a brilliant event, an opportunity to receive love, inspiration, and in-the-moment confidence coaching.
Each of the women in attendance came for a different reason, motivated by their own expectation. Judging by the smiles, hugs and presentations at the end of the session, I felt that we left uplifted and energized by our small community that night. We left feeling full, and not shrunken to fit that 9.5" x 11" resume or bio. We left feeling ready for the next day, eager to discover our true selves and to introduce the world to the pieces and parts of ourselves that are left off of the resume; left out of the bio. We left understanding, if not fully believing that we are THE ish, and can create our own destinies with our own minds and voices.
We spend time as professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs trying to convince others of our value and worth on a weekly basis. "Hire me"... because I fit the key word search. "Retain me"... because I come highly recommended. "Contract or sub-contract with me"... because I am woman and or minority owned. "Consider me"... because I have nine of the ten qualifications needed for this job or contract. We spend an enormous amount of time chasing our dreams and desires. Chasing as opposed to attracting...
When we are rejected, we feel inadequate, not good enough, not prepared. But most of what it took to arrive where we are today is not expressed on the resume. The truth of the matter, in most cases, is that we are much bigger than the resume, much broader than the bio, much more prepared than need be.
Corporate America doesn't care about the real life scenarios that you battled through as a woman; the experiences that gave you immense character, gut and grits. There is little regard in the interview for the reality that had you working, while going to school, and taking care of two babies at the same time. They only want to know about the degree part ~ not the determination and organization that was developed in your personal life in order to keep all the balls in the air. Do you fit the key words?
Corporate America is not impressed that you in your dual language capabilities take care of an entire extended family in not one but two countries, insuring that the family stays together even virtually. They want to know about the citizenship part ~ not the management skills you have developed in negotiating government entities and legal clauses. Do you fit the key words?
Corporate America does not take into account the relationship management skills you have developed in managing the church auxiliary, PTA, little league team, girl scout cookie drive, non profit capital campaign, your special need child's care, the family reunion or the volunteer drive!
Do? You? Fit? The? Key? Words?
We are obsessed in having the perfect resume because anything less will paint us as less. We have been conditioned by legal, compliance, corporate culture to ignore the very essence of who we each are; and the skills we have developed in the process of living; despite the quest for "diversity". We have been conditioned to shrink. But we can reprogram ourselves.
We chase as opposed to attracting the life we want. And we settle. But we don't have to.
Last Thursday night with the IAW, we elevated each other. We agreed not to chase and not to settle. We agreed to take the Centerstage in our lives and manifest the reality we want for ourselves. We agreed to live out loud; to use our voices for our highest purposes. We agreed that we are valuable and worthy, beautiful and brilliant. We agreed that we are THE ISH! We will not shrink into 2024. We deserve the Centerstage. And we are taking it. Now the work begins. I am more than my resume. I AM:
KarenA / THEKarenA / KarenA Clark / Bowen-Boldon House / Clark Nation / Giver of Life / Corporate Queen / Lover of Lands / Queen Mother / Producing Artist / Leader of Thoughts / Coach of Confidence.
Who are you?...