Amazing how your post resonated with me, Mike.
I had just received from Susan Mazza, on Twitter the following message, after she retweeted a quote I liked "always seems I see the perfect quotes at the perfect time in my twitter stream...
I then read Suzan's stream and found a link to your blog...Just like following a magical thread.
Why did it resonate with me?
Last week, I had to to a tender for a very big European Bank. Part of the tender was to provide a 3 minute video presentation of ourselves.
I was very honored to have been picked and wanted to show me at "my best".
It resulted into me dressing up very formaly, hair attached in a strict old fashion, glasses on and very serious business like looking.
I was doing exactly what you described in your last section "Do you do things people appreciate without considering what your own strengths, desires or what energizes you? ".
Well, I don't have the response yet, but I showed this video clip of me to my eldest daughter.
She said "But I don't recognize, you, Maman! Who's this serious person? You seem tensed behind your fake smile." (She can be quite tough, this girl! But what she said was true.)
I had forced myself into what I pictured would be the model executive woman they were expecting.
I had tried very hard to conceal the joyfulness, mischievous, playful side of me, afraid they would not like it...
That was a good lesson. Now I know about the video technique, I will "loosen up" and show more of my true self. Very ironic when you think that my job is to reveal that in others!
Thank you for this gentle reminder, Mike!
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