Authenticity: “The most important kind of freedom…” – Jim Morrison

“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on and individual level. It’s got to happen inside first. You can take away a man’s political freedom and you won’t hurt him- unless you take away his freedom to feel. That can destroy him. That kind of freedom can’t be granted. Nobody can win it for you.”  – Jim Morrison

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My New “Visible” Tattoo..

I got a visible tattoo. In a true sexy thinker fashion, we flipped it so you could watch and so that those of you who thought I might cry could see how tough I was.

Afterward I had a few conversations that went something like this:

“Hey what did you do today?” – them

“I got a tattoo.” – me

“Where?” – them

“On my forearm” – me

“Wow, you’re brave.” – them

“Why do you say that?” – me

“What will your clients think?” – them

“What if you decide to go back into the corporate world?” – them

“How are you going to hide it?” – them

“It looks like you drew it on with a marker.” – Bill Campion

Listen. Carefully.

It’s not about a tattoo.

It’s 2010, it’s about being able to be who you are.
The people you work for should judge you according to your results, your ideas and your talent. Nothing else.

If I’m not accepted in the workplace for a tattoo, I’m pretty certain there will be other more important parts of who I am that would not be accepted.

Look, sometimes we have to work a job we don’t entirely like, but in this day in age, should we still have to work in places where we can’t express ourselves and be who we are?

I’ve learned that only when you embrace your own authenticity, unapologetically, can you really explore your talents’ potential. By being true to yourself you attract the kind of people in your life who share your values. Including employers and clients.

You do have a choice.

A special thank you to @kwoodpartners for helping me figure this out and to @nwalls for being my sidekick on this experience.

weather rant

to wrap up my birthday week i wake up (after having a great dream about being a vampire) to another day of cloudy skies and rain.  yesterday my neighbor was sunbathing on her deck and a week ago my deck was covered in snow.  inconsistent weather drives me insane and bad weather makes me cry.

my bff always tells says  “you shouldn’t let the weather drive your mood”.  dude, it is sooo much easier to slap a smile on your face and when the sun’s shining in a clear blue sky.  on my last quick trip to sunny california before my flight out i had an early breakfast along the beach. i noticed the big fat smiles on the faces of the happy, healthy people, running, biking and walking their dogs near by. even the dogs looked happier.

once a year i take a vaca to laguna beach, we stay at the surf and sand hotel and create some of my favorite memories.  life seems perfect there.  when it’s leaving time i declare i’m moving and stock up on over priced real estate ads.

when the weather here is bad i get mad at myself for not moving in with the palm trees but then i remind myself…

• that my precious grandparents live nearby and i love them more than a beach
• that my friends, family and loved ones who often drive me crazy but give life meaning are all also in a drives reach and
• that most of the talent team at Talent Revolution are all close by

while i haven’t given up on my dream to be a vampire living by the surf and sand.  i’m putting it on hold for now. better weather’s coming and boating days at the lake and lunches in the sun at the greene are just around the corner.  in the meantime i’m working on a plan to have my cake and eat it too.