Happy Holidays

As 2023 wraps up, so does my fellowship year with Pipeline Entrepreneurs, a regional accelerator based out of Kansas City. This program both stretched and strengthened me as an entrepreneur, and, to cap it off, I will be participating in a pitch competition in Q1 of 2024. For the next three months, I have the pleasure of working with a pitch coach to get prepared.

On the first day of working with Nathan Gold, I shared a concern about my pitch having a different focus than many of the other 12 fellows. He reminded me that the most important thing I can do is to share my truth and assured me that through our work together he could help me phrase what I wanted to say (whatever that may be) in a way that others find easy to receive. It felt good to hear that advice from someone who has worked with entrepreneurs preparing to pitch on Shark Tank and professionals who have had TED Talks – and it was quite humbling. Humbling because I realized that I was leading my preparation for something that truly excited me by comparing myself to others.

Ugh.

So easy to do. So dangerous to our authenticity and ability to feel true belonging. 

We know from Brene Brown’s research that true belonging means being ourselves in any room whereas “fitting in” means bending ourselves to fit the room that we’re in (to paraphrase). I was focused on fitting in. I was focused on looking good (because, well, you know I DO want to win) rather than feeling good on the inside, which I know will naturally make its way out. 

I want to share this lesson with you because there is so much goodness to be found in this holiday season, and there can also be so much comparison. Let’s name it so that we can be hyper aware it’s lurking around. When we are aware – and intentional – we can tame it before it gets the best of us, stealing our joy.

Wishing you each the best, most authentic, feeling good-from-the-inside-out holiday season ever.

– Audra