
Emotional Health & Wellbeing

Ego often gets a bum rap
I was happy to see the video of Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, author of "My Stroke of Insight", a while back as she exemplifies why we need an ego and why is not a good idea to try to "get rid" of it.
First of all, unless you want to damage the left hemisphere of your brain (which was her challenge when she had the stroke), you are going to have a sense of "identity" which is what the ego is. It is the mental construct of the "false self".
Ego is imbedded within your personality. Within the word personality is "persona", which means, "mask". It is not the real you, it is what I call the "Mental Me"; the story of who you THINK you are. This is in opposition to the "Magnificent Me" that most people apparently are not aware of.

Confidence is a key element to empowerment
If you can't speak up, take risks or all too often buckle under the opinions of others, your gifts and talents will likely never reach authentic expression. Let me say that confidence from the core, authentic self is what I am referring to.
Not the "fake it 'till you make it" to whatever status you believe holds the magical key to empowerment. I'm referring to knowing that you know that the "real you" is already ok, just because you breathe. The starting point from this place is assuming that you are not broken, just in evolution, like the plant in the garden that is in the process of unfolding to its true beauty and potential.

"More than anything else, I believe it's our decisions, not the conditions or our lives, that determine our destiny." -Tony Robbins
What stops us from living in balance?
We can easily come up with the everyday generic answers like, "Too little time, not enough money", "It takes money to make money!" "I'll rest when I retire, right now I have too much to do.", and "I think I'm in balance, it's everyday life that pushes things out of balance." Most of the excuses we give ourselves encompass a lack of resource or feeling that you are at a disadvantage of some kind. We have so many reasons for our excuses and because we believe that we are so skilled at recognizing excuses in others we full heatedly buy our own load of bull. What excuses do you give to yourself that you would actually take to the bank? Stop feeding yourself so many excuses and let yourself be free to explore the truth.

How can self-Esteem affect my business?
As women business owners we need to take steps to be sure we are in the right place in life as well as our team members. Check the following and be sure that they do not apply to you or your team members.
- My looks dictate how I feel about myself. (IE weight, age, hair, makeup, etc)
- My marriage has failed, so I am a failure.
I am talked over when I am around my peers. (People interrupt me regularly or finish my sentences)
- I walk with my head down
- I apologize for everything including things that others do.
- I am very irritable
- I don’t take criticism very well. I get defensive when someone tells me something I have done wrong, even if I don’t actually say anything
- I would rather just stay by myself

Why give fear a platform?
Remember, you are unique; there is only one you and you have the right to do something that no one else has ever done.
Desire to be different, dare to be different; desire to do what no one else has ever done be courageous and enter into uncharted territories, because you are able to leave a new and positive mark in this world a mark that cannot be erased.
The question is:
Do you want to leave that mark, if so how much do you want it and are you truly willing to through whatever it takes for you to achieve, or do you just want to do what everyone else is doing?