In the ever-evolving world of fashion, navigating the maze of style and self-perception can be challenging. This is especially true for those grappling with body image issues.
I originally interviewed Melanie Lippman back in Episode 129 (link below), and LOVE how her Q&A session fits perfectly into our “holiday stress” mini-series!
Tune in to hear how learning to trust herself is still one of the biggest challenges (IKYK), and how it can make a real difference in how you show up.
Ready for a quick shot of confidence as you gear up to dress up for all your holiday get-togethers?
You're listening to Stand Tall and Own it, the podcast for high performing female leaders who are ready to make an impact by discovering the safety that comes from understanding their own value and exercising their own authority. I'm your host, andrea Johnson, and I'm here to tell you it is time to just truly be you, my strong friend. It's time to Stand Tall and Own it. Hey friend, I just wanted to let you know that I just got off recording my podcast interview with stylist coach image coach, melanie Lipman, and it's a good one. If you have not yet listened to that podcast episode, I believe it's episode 129. Please go listen to it because her story is great. I mean, she has a fashion industry background and she did all of the stuff and she has like the devil wears product kind of stories. But at the same time, she works with those of us who have challenges with our body image and with our style and trying to figure out what makes it work. And if you're petite like me, so is she, which is awesome. So I asked because this is all about learning how to become an intentional optimism, learning how to become an intentional optimist. I'm starting to ask my guests how they are moving through the mistakes that they make, etc. And she shared an amazing story that just happened to prove to you that this is not the work that we do once and we're done. Being a coach, having some answers, being able to help other people do this, is not a one and done thing, it is a daily process. Just like I say, hey, intentional optimism is a lifestyle activity, it is a lifestyle choice, it is a lifestyle program. It is not about I got this one, I check it off.
Speaker 2:
She actually had to come back to the same conclusion I did and I share that a little bit in my answer to her. The conversation is great. Enjoy this little behind the scenes. What did I fail at? And became a really big life lesson and business lesson for Melanie Lippmann and I will see you next time. Thank you so much. I'm thrilled you're here and I'm excited to talk to you about this topic. But before we get into your story, what I'm doing is kind of behind the scenes. I've started asking guests a question basically, what is the biggest fail, maybe behind the scenes, in your business or even as a mom, or however you want to do that. That turned out to be a great learning opportunity and kind of shaped either where your business is today or where you are today as a leader.
Speaker 1:
So I think my biggest fail and I think it was probably the light bulb moment it's very interesting we're talking today was I work with a business coach and I've been working for a while and I'm actually seeing her tomorrow, which I'm really excited about. But in October I went to Portugal for a mastermind retreat and I think we all kind of went there thinking that we were going to figure out some little missing secret to running our business and really learn some strategy or something that was going to be kind of like the gas. Finally, and ultimately, the whole entire time we were there, it was about learning to trust ourselves, and it's the continuous lesson I feel in all of our lives. It's the continuous lesson I feel like I need to teach my clients.
Speaker 1:
It's the continuous lesson that I myself, as a mom, as a wife, as a entrepreneur, need to continue to learn again and again. But it wasn't that. It was never that apparent to. I got on a plane, I flew for seven hours to a completely different time zone. I didn't sleep because it was like typically you know like it was like you were excited and yeah, it was all of the things.
Speaker 1:
And then also with the time difference, like I was going to bed at like six o'clock at night to try like all of what it can do in New York time and it was never that obvious to the answers within you and stop going around asking other people's opinion for how to build your own business. You know, like we all know, and it's the same thing with my clients, like they keep validation and all of the things. So it was one of those kind of like and it was an amazing experience. Obviously, she's still my business coach. I'm going to another retreat tomorrow.
Speaker 1:
So it's like oh, that was a complete waste, but it was never that apparent to that. Like I'm sitting in a room with 30 people trying to ask people what to do and but no, the answer myself.
Speaker 2:
I appreciate that so much. I mean as a coach right. As a coach, we love a good coach question. I mean we love a good coach answer and to be reminded that even those of us who are self-employed, we're doing our business, we're moving people, listen to us, right To be able to say I'm still in this with you, I am still learning to trust myself, and one of the things that we're doing a lot in my life is we're looking at Enneagram stuff and I'm at Enneagram six. So like trusting myself is like a no-go right. It's like that's like the hurdle to get over. So I feel you and I did a workshop two weeks ago on my message with a speaking coach who I now I pay you know I hired her as well and it's again. It's like this is the same thing I was saying four years ago. Why am I not actually trusting myself in this? So I love that transparent moment, thank you.
Speaker 1:
You're welcome.
Speaker 2:
Really really good stuff.
Speaker 1:
It's interesting because, like, as you said, it's actually I think what makes us such free coaches is that we don't say we're perfect. Yeah, there's so many people out there that are pretending to be perfect, and where I know the things that get the most impact for my clients and for my audience on social media is when I'm saying, like I know, last week I went to, I went and I spoke and I was struggling to get dressed. It was so funny. My husband said to me hey, I'm like, aren't you leaving soon? Like why, why, what's up? Like why are you still kind of wearing your jeans and a t-shirt?
Speaker 1:
And I was struggling because we just came back from spring break and we were in California and we were in Vegas and I ate and drank my way through the whole entire thing and the idea of putting pants on was really, really in my head about something I wanted to do. I was afraid, yeah, and so I was like you know what? I'm actually going to jump on stories today and talk about this, because this is, as women, what goes on when we get dressed. It's not like I don't want to go do the thing, because what's going to happen and how's that going to make me feel and all of that. So of course I was able to self-coach myself through the situation, but it wasn't until I had to go and be like I don't want to go and I don't want to put pants on.
Speaker 1:
I get it. I can go through my own tools.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I've got to talk tomorrow and we can get into this in the actual podcast interview. But I've got to talk tomorrow. And on Sunday I came home because I was dressed and I was ready and was like I'm going to try on stuff now to see how I feel and what I want to do, and I'm like, but I'm going to be talking to you well, this week, so I'm going to get some tips. But what I realized was I want to, I just want to wear what makes me feel happy and feel good. So to know that you know I'm not alone, being a coach also on the journey I always talk about, we just need to link arms and move forward. So this is great. Thanks so much.
