The ICONIC Framework

Over the years, I’ve been talking a lot about what it means to be ICONIC.

Because at a baseline, I believe it sits at the center of so much that we want.

To be one of a kind

Irreplaceable

Unforgettable

Legendary

Influential

Recognizable

Unapologetic

Relevant

It is undeniable in how indelibly we are marked by folks who we see as ICONIC in their influence on culture:

Tracy Chapman at the 2024 Grammys, comes to mind.

Iris Apfel (RIP, Icon)

RuPaul

Oprah

Billy Porter

Cher

Michelle Obama

In part, they know WHO. THEY. ARE.

And let’s call it: there are very few folks I know who would not love being seen and known as ICONIC. For their impact, their thought scholarship, their influence.

Think about it: when you’re told that something you do is iconic, don’t you feel well seen?

And of course, the reason I’m so fascinated by this experience is that the desire to be ICONIC can rankle the IC–the Imposter Complex. (You might say “Imposter Syndrome”, but I don’t and here’s why.)

In fact, you can’t spell ICONIC without “IC”...twice. It will try to get you coming and going.

And expressions of this fascination include my TEDx talk on the Imposter Complex.

Programs and a quiz I’ve created around ICONIC Identity.

Experts I’ve spoken to about the ICONIC Effect.

Programs devoted to ICONIC Impact and mastermind spaces dedicated to creating ICONIC Legacy.

(And if any of this work sounds inviting to you, let’s get on an ICONIC spotlight session to see where it would best support you.)

But I’ve never shared with you the exact framework that I developed to truly address and tackle the IC, (with the help of the Thumbprint Model created by Pam Slim, Darron Padilla and Josiah Owens).

Until now.

It’s a process that is so simple to me.

It’s how I approach everything that is worth doing.

And I’m sharing it with you such that it will support you in all you want to do as well.

Let’s go.

First of all, ICONIC isn’t JUST a rabble-rousing word. It’s not JUST a calling forth that evokes an immediate and visceral response.

(I mean it is…go ahead and try it out…say aloud “I am ICONIC” and see if you don’t sit up just a little bit taller.)

It’s also a very clever acronym.

An acronym that every icon has ever used to do anything and everything that matters, whether they have meant to or not.

And I want you to have it.

I is for Identity

And it’s as frustratingly simple as that.

Oprah had to envision herself at the helm of her own network before it became a reality. Mel Robbins embraced her potential to host a groundbreaking podcast before it topped the charts. Malala Yousafzai saw herself as a catalyst for change before she was recognized as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a global advocate for education.

From business mogul to social justice warrior to pop culture icons, they had to see themselves as the person CAPABLE of their incredible feats first.

And so how you see yourself is the very beginning of the ICONIC journey.

Which is why I’ve been thinking so much on the ICONIC Identity you need to step into that will get you there. Now, long time readers will recall that I’ve been using “starring role” language for a really long time. This ICONIC language feels even more resonant.

Aspirational with a healthy dose of gravitas. Rooted. Powerful.

This work stems from my ICONIC Identity Quiz and the occasional delivery of a short ICONIC Identity workshop/course that illustrates the “golden shadows” that the coping (and safety) mechanisms of the Imposter Complex reveal…and potential ICONIC Identities to explore.

For instance:

  1. The CEO: Perfectionism highlights a commitment to excellence, a trait central to the iconic identity of the CEO. This pursuit of impeccable standards showcases their dedication to achieving the highest peaks of success.

  2. The Host: The tendency to please others reflects a deep-rooted value of inclusivity, key to the Host's iconic identity. By striving to accommodate and welcome everyone, the Host embodies the spirit of unity and belonging, making them a beacon of hospitality.

  3. The Healer: Leaky boundaries demonstrate an underlying generosity, marking the Healer's iconic identity. Their open-hearted approach to giving, (sometimes beyond their limits) underscores a profound capacity to care and heal, making their generosity their hallmark.

  4. The Maven: A habit of comparison underlines a desire for connection, pivotal to the Maven's iconic identity. This continuous seeking of benchmarks and learning from others fosters a deep-seated sense of community and shared wisdom, establishing them as lifelong seers, learners and connectors.

  5. The Visionary: Diminishment reflects a value of humility. Often visionaries feel the bigness of their ideas, but tend to hide behind them, forgetting that we need them out in front WITH their big world-chaging ideas. Both/and. 

  6. The Sage: Procrastination can reveal a great value of discernment, integral to the Sage's iconic identity. This careful consideration and delay in decision-making highlight a deep wisdom and thoughtfulness, ensuring that actions taken are meaningful and informed.

Go ahead and take the ICONIC Identity quiz to see which one is most likely yours. (Hint: your result will also highlight your leadership edge.)

C is for Confront

Confront the CRITICS, that is.

You see…one of the three main objectives of the Imposter Complex is to keep you out of action.

How it does so is pretty layered, with its 12 very specific lies and a myriad of clever tricks.

But in general, what is standing in the way of everything we say we want are critics. And in my work, we go ahead and meet those critics. Head on.

Which is really an invitation to get clear about what’s REALLY here. Be they realistic objections, ACTUAL critics of our actions, or your own inner critics. 

Once we know the nature of the objection/obstacle, we can address it. How we do so is layered and nuanced, but we must discern what we’re dealing with first before we devise the action plan.

Because if we are blocked, we are out of action. And the Imposter Complex wins. 

And I am CLEARLY not here for that.

O is for Optimize

The Imposter Complex’s second objective is to have you doubt your capacity.

The critics will have done a good job trying to convince you of all the reasons you CAN’T do the world-changing things.

And yes, in the confronting, you’ve worked out the fallacies.

But now it’s about rooting into proof positive about all you have already done so you can be reminded on a cellular level what you are indeed capable of. 

This has the energy of drawing back the arrow so you can shoot forward with power.

It’s a reflection of all that has been done, delivered, sold, survived and healed in spite of the tripwires set up by the critics. It’s easy to forget once we’ve overcome the obstacles, but it’s vital that we remember all the OTHER times we’ve stood at this very precipice of our expansion, jumped and saw that the party was on the other side of the resistance.  

And for folks with strong values of integrity, proficiency and excellence who operate at a high level, the ego often prevents them from recalling their accomplishments. Why’s that? Because the ego wants to want more than it wants to get.

Sit with that a moment.

The ego wants to want more than it wants to get.

And if you disagree with me, tell me right now, what was your biggest win from yesterday? I don’t want to hear that the weather was lovely, or that your colleague got a promotion. I want to know what YOU made happen that you count as a win? 

In my work, I’ve formerly called this piece “Bolstering your authority thesis” and it’s a process of gathering internal data points of accomplishments, certifications, acknowledgments, and THEN going outside for external proof points. The order of that is pretty important, especially for those people-pleasers who will just assume that everyone is just being nice.

(Worth noting, a client did this series of exercises with me only to message me days later to say she had forgotten to include the PhD she had earned.

N is for Network

The third objective of the Imposter Complex is to keep us alone and isolated. But no one was ever, EVER intended to do any of this alone. 

Making sure we are surrounded by good people is essential for our good work…so this is where we assess our network. This is really about understanding who we are surrounded by, how we ask for and receive support, and from whom. Not everyone wants to see us succeed, but YOUR people do, so this is about cultivating more of that…and navigating trickier relationships that we just may need to divest from.

It’s also a consideration of how we are supporting others around us.

The most successful people I know do something that I have historically called “assemble the cast”. They consistently uplift and amplify three particular groups:

  1. Their teachers (citing and acknowledging their thought scholarship…attribution for the win.)

  2. Their colleagues and peers (community care and collaboration over scarcity and competition…it’s more than a lovely idea.)

  3. Folks coming up behind them who could use a helping hand. (Remember when a coffee chat might have given you the exact lift you needed?)

This rugged individualism is killing us. Let’s do better, together.

This article explores this in far greater detail.

I is for Implement

In other words…do the work. 

Which I always think is good news.

We GET to do the work. 

It’s what we love.

It’s what matters to us (otherwise we wouldn’t be experiencing the Imposter Complex).

It’s what stretches us.

So we implement.  (“I” could also be for “iterate” or “invoke”, but implement gets to the heart of it.)

We get into action, work with our patterns, remember to circumnavigate the tripwires of the critics, gather the support of our network, remember what we are capable of, and get it done.

Decisions made and action taken. Confidence is created by action. Not the other way around. 

C is for Celebrate

The final step in any work that matters is celebration.

You know the annoying yoga instructor who insists savasana is the most important pose in any practice? Yeah. I’m with them on this.

How else would we integrate the learnings? How else do we allow ourselves to recognize, on a cellular level, that we are intended to experience rest in joy? 

Seems simple enough, but once again, high achievers struggle with this. The Imposter Complex (and other conditioned influences…capitalism comes to mind) can keep us in a striving loop. But rest and celebration is vital to integrate our good work and to signal completion.

And yes, it also helps us level-set for what comes next…WHEN the time is right.

Ready for the next…you get that?

This IS iterative work.

Reminder that you can’t spell ICONIC, without IC, twice.

Meaning it will come for you the moment you decide you are an icon, and it will get you when you are ready to stretch into the next. Coming and going.

But now you don’t need to let the Imposter Complex win. When you’re ready to fully implement the ICONIC framework, I’ll be here.

 

Click here for my free training:

Five ICONIC shifts leaders use to overcome Imposter Complex.

Tanya Geisler
Five of the best pieces of speaking advice I've ever received

Since sharing my Speaking Gig Discovery Call Checklist (yours to grab here if you missed it), I’ve been fielding a lot more Qs than usual about the speaking arm of my business.

Seems you didn’t realize just how much of it I actually do, or how meaningful this part of my business is to me.

Because being invited to a stage is a most incredible honour. As I’ve said before, our attention is being commodified at every turn. So to be entrusted with the time and attention of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people is just about as good as it gets for me.

Which means you can bet I show up and I DELIVER with everything I have.

And everything leading up to taking the stage is something of an art form.

The talk itself is just one of them.​

​Getting to the venn diagram of where the audience’s needs intersect with both the desired outcome of the organizers AND the content that I am best suited to deliver is something of an art form.

Pricing is something of an art form.

Structure is something of an art form.

Running the Discovery Call is something of an art form. (Precisely what the checklist will help you prepare for.)

And then there’s taking the stage.

Now, in fairness…this, FOR ME, is the easiest part. (I know this is true for many of you too. But not for all.)

  • I dream of that moment I take the stage.

  • I dream of the way time seems to stand still when a point I’ve made really connects with the audience. The moment that was previously not known will now never be unknown. (That was a mouthful, but it’s pure magic.)

  • ​I dream less about the applause and more about the lively Q+A portion of the keynote.

But/and, as comfortable as I have been most of my life in front of an audience, when I sit with the investment of time and energy and resources it takes to get me onstage, my nerves can still have their say.

And so, I come back to the five best pieces of speaking advice I’ve ever received.

1.Trust the intelligence in the room.

This comes from my friend and colleague Julie Daley who shared this with me in 2012 as we were preparing to take the TEDx stage. The meaning of this has shifted and deepened significantly as I have spoken in every conceivable kind of room.

But what I’ve always held it to be is a reminder that we are all co-creating an experience. That I am not the only one with will here. That my words matter, but so does the impact. And also, it reminds me to leave plenty of space for what shows up.


​2. Know that everyone in the audience is already rooting for you.

It’s so easy to imagine folks wanting to pelt tomatoes, but you know yourself, when you see someone on that stage, you WANT them to win.

They already believe in you…match their belief and rise up to meet it…and then, go on and blow their hair back.

And for the 5% who may be unconvinced? You weren’t going to win them over anyway.

​3. Imagine you’re speaking to your favourite client, reader, friend or teammate.

You want them to hear and know your message because what you name is going to shift something vital for them.

There is a bottleneck that is keeping them from their full expression and activation…and what you are naming just may release it.

This MATTERS.

4. You may not be the only one in the room who knows your topic, but you’re here for your unique perspective and lived experience.

There are two parts to this for me.

Remembering that MY experience is mine and though we may be in the same shared space, we aren’t all experiencing the world in the same way. (I give thanks to my friend Staci Jordan Shelton for this context.)

In more recent years, I’ve begun every talk acknowledging that my work is informed by my experience as a white, neurotypical cishet woman of middle class means living in North America. And I acknowledge that my experience may well not be the same as many in the audience. Nor am I the teacher or guide for everyone.

AND that my lived experience IS what brings uniqueness to my perspective.

I certainly didn’t invent the notion of the Imposter Complex. AND no one talks about it the way that I do, with the particular nuances borne of my stumbles and deepened understanding of intersectionality and the ways this experience plays out.

In fact, if I were to believe my perspective didn’t matter, I’d be paradoxically colluding with lie #4 of the Imposter Complex “you have nothing useful to say.”

Nope. Not on my watch.

5. “You can totally rock this. It's terrifying as all hell, but so is all the great stuff we do in life. It's a sign of exhilaration.”

This came from Elan Morgan after I saw them speak at a conference and was struck enough by their presence to seek their best speaking advice. And whew.

I believe this more and more every time I remind myself of all the stages I have ‘totally rocked’. Rooting into proof positive about all that we have done is a vital Imposter Complex-busting strategy. Especially all the times we remembered that we jumped and discovered the party was on the other side of the resistance.

There you have it. My five best pieces of speaking advice I have received and that I have to offer.

But while we are here, after the gig, you will want to know how you did. (Just as I did recently).

That is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of your value of excellence, proficiency and integrity. It’s a sign that this part of your thought leadership and thought scholarship is meaningful to you. It’s a sign that you are a pro. Ask for the feedback.

Okay, then.

Reminder, if you haven’t downloaded the Speaking Gig Discovery Call Checklist, have at it here. My inbox is full of emails of appreciation from folks already implementing my process. (You’re welcome!)

Share the love! I would be so grateful if you invited the speakers in your life to sign up for the resource here.

And finally, If you are keen on getting support in your own speaking, I just may be able to help.

 

Click here for my free training:

Five ICONIC shifts leaders use to overcome Imposter Complex.

Tanya Geisler
Thirteen hallmarks of people-pleasers

As I’ve shared many times and in many ways over the years, there are six coping mechanism that folks tend to hide out in to avoid the feeling brought on by the Imposter Complex. (And by the way, here’s why I say Imposter Complex instead of imposter syndrome).

And those mechanisms are: diminishment, comparison, perfectionism, procrastination, leaky boundaries, and finally, my personal go-to: people-pleasing.

I wanted to drill down some into people-pleasing tendencies to shine a light on how it can reveal itself.

But there are a couple of caveats I want to offer before we dive in. Because context and discernment matter.

  • In this article, when I say "they", of COURSE I mean, "me" too. ⁠

  • I said "TENDENCY" because these are not absolutes. ⁠

  • There are about a million other reasons folks might display tendencies 1-13, including trauma. And for folks who have been systemically excluded, people-pleasing can be a way of staying SAFE.

So, that's here too. ⁠

But for me and my experience, when I was able to make people around me happy, that made my life easier. Also? I know it includes my relationality as well as my deep value of inclusivity. It means I'm a phenomenal Host. I'm not going to make myself wrong for that.⁠

AND? There have been times it has been in my way. When I have undercharged and overdelivered, hustled too hard and in the wrong direction to prove my worth, and forgotten to honour my word to myself.

With that, I give you the Thirteen Hallmarks of People-Pleasing.⁠

  1. Feel they have to agree with everyone.⁠

    Most often, this agreeable behaviour is one that has been conditioned and that they have been praised and prized for.

  2. Over-identify with how other people feel and take massive responsibility.⁠

    There is a hyper vigilance here that is exhausting and like a hungry ghost. Let me remind you that you are not the world’s liver, required to regulate and process everything for everyone.

  3. Apologize often and unnecessarily.⁠

    A peace-keeping tactic, this stems from a gorgeous space of wanting to take responsibility, but CAN devolve into insincerity…which sits in opposition to our value of integrity.

  4. Feel burdened by the things they have to do.

    This feeling of burden and even resentment is a clear sign that the people-pleasing has lead them to over-extend themselves. A great learning for next time if we can see it for what it is.

  5. Have a verrrrry hard time saying no.⁠

    While this might sound more like leaky boundaries to some (and people-pleasing and boundaries definitely have some overlap), I see a distinction here in that when it’s a boundary issue, you might not know where your yeses and nos diverge…whereas with people-pleasing, you KNOW you’re a no, and choose the yes instead.

  6. Cannot tolerate the discomfort of someone being upset with them.⁠

    No one that I know loves discomfort. But discomfort is not the same as lack of safety. It’s an important distinction and your deep value of integrity knows the difference.

  7. Act like the people around them.⁠

    Taking on the mannerisms of other folks has long been taught as a tactic to create trust and fellowship between two parties. AND? We can get lost in it.

  8. REQUIRE praise to feel good.⁠

    Most of us love to receive praise. (Though it can be challenging for many of us to really internalize it…but that’s an article for another time.) But the moment it become a requirement and not a nice to have, it’s tipped into people-pleasing territory.

  9. Go to great lengths to avoid conflict.⁠

    Show me a people-pleaser whose therapist has NOT said they are conflict avoidant. Go ahead…I dare you.

  10. Don’t admit when their feelings are hurt.⁠

    Given how relational and empathetic people-pleasers tend to be, it’s likely they’ve been charged with being “overly sensitive” in their formative years. Which meant that it became a liability to express their true emotions. And

  11. Don’t feel they’ve earned their spot.

    They feel they just got "THERE" because people LIKE them...not because they are deeply skilled and talented at what they do.

    And this is inextricably linked with the Imposter Complex…even folks who maintain they don’t experience the IC can recognize themselves in “they’re just being nice” when given an opportunity.

  12. Don’t ask for what they need.

    Over-givers by nature, it’s tricky for people-pleasers to ask (and receive in kind) which creates a connection paradox. They WANT to feel that connection, but not inviting others in inhibits the connection they seek. (Because: ding, ding, ding…YOUR PEOPLE want to help you, just as you want to help THEM.)

  13. Don’t want to rock the boat. ⁠

    Smooth sailing is the name of the game for many people-pleasers. (Though in truth, this one doesn’t ring as true for me personally…I’m more concerned about making things right than I am making things smooth at this season in my life.)

Knowing how to navigate the people-pleasing that has ridden side-saddle with me my whole life has been my work. It has cost me plenty when unattended.

AND I know now that the golden shadow of inclusivity that people-pleasing holds is a super power. It means I gather people exquisitely, bring plenty of compassion and empathy into my leadership and ultimately, can be harnessed for true good.

And I am here for THAT. I suspect you are too.

Check out my quiz to see which coping mechanism of the Imposter Complex can get in YOUR way too…AND the gifts and your leadership edge that it holds.

The liminal space is the hardest part. (In life, leadership and definitely in empty nesting.)

This is a letter/article that’s been on my heart for years.

It holds the words I wished someone would have written for me as I prepared (in vain) for the way my whole life was to be turned upside down the moment our daughter stepped out of our nest.

(And if you’re here for the leadership lessons, I reckon you’ll find that in the final five sentences of this article.)

Words that I could hold and believe again and again and again and again, like:

She will be fine.
You will be fine.
Maybe even better than fine.
And no, things won’t be the same.

Like every level of evolution…from milk to solids, from diaper to potty, from crib to bed, from daycare to afterschool job, there is no going back.

And? This liminal space is the hardest part.

(Gawd, I wish I believed the folks who walked this path before when they told me that.)

This liminal space is the hardest part.

But let me add some of my own observations in the hopes that they support you as you prepare to send your own off to school (or another adventure).

Don’t expect others to understand your precise experience. 

They mean well, at least the people you are sharing your grief with.

And in their desire to keep you uplifted, they will tell you things in the vein of what I was told specifically, like:

That you should be happy she is going to a school so close. 

That she could be across the country or across the ocean.

That she got into school at all. That she could have failed and dashed your (ahem) visions of a post-secondary education.

That there is even school this year given the years of uncertainty that COVID brought. 

That you even HAVE a kid (because that was always on your heart).

That you have a HEALTHY kid.

That you’re only feeling this grief because of the massive love you hold.

That this is your job to love her into her independence and here we are and it’s time to let go.

And they would be right.

But so is your grief.

(And while we’re at it, have you ever noticed that no one tells someone who has suffered a loss how to grieve?  Like: you’re lucky you had such a great parent? Think of all the free time you have now? At least you have their memories? Nah. So why is this acceptable with empty nesting?)

Your grief is also real and valid and not everyone will get it and that’s just fine.

You will feel what you will feel. You will vacillate.

You will feel loss for all the moments you will miss their presence, and massive pride and elation for all the joy to come, and parallel sorrow with theirs if they don’t get their first choice, and worry about the choices they will make and will only really be able to sink back on your heels of knowing that you did your best. Even though that knowing will feel less like certainty and more like a a statement with an inevitable ellipses.

“I did my best…”

Just like right now.

You will do your best.

Anticipatory grief is a hungry ghost.

I can tell you now that on the other side of our daughter leaving home for her first year of school that the anticipatory grief just about took me out. 

So I worked with a therapist, and created notion boards and plans, and systems and structures that were designed to avoid the hard and when that didn’t work, I reached out to friends and when they didn’t quite get it, this SNL skit brought me untold bouts of joy.

But the moment she was settled in her classes, routine and friend group, the ease that surrounded my heart was surprisingly familiar. Like, seeing her happy face when I picked her up at the gate after a day of Kindergarten. Knowing it was the right place for her…and for me.  

May that be so for you with yours.

So I can affirm for me, that the anticipation was indeed the worst part.

She is back for the summer. She has indeed ripped through all of my Crest (actually, Zimba) strips.

And the energy of this household has once again shifted. Filled with her non-sequiturs and little piles of ‘things’ and yes…even the oft-cited ‘fit check.

My focus is once again splayed towards her like a heliotrope cranes towards the sun.

Because, as ever, this is all borrowed time.

There may not be many more move-back-homes for the summer.

She could move across the city or country or the ocean. Who knows what uncertainty lurks up ahead. (And you see where I could go next, right?)

So I’m savouring it as best as I can. This borrowed and precious time.

This life is only and ever transitions and borrowed time and trying to root into the present, isn’t it?

So for those about to send their kids off into their adventure, I will offer you this:

They will be fine.
You will be fine.
Maybe even better than fine.
And no, things won’t be the same.


And for ALL of us:

As you expand into the next, remember that the liminal space is often the hardest part.

You will be fine.
Maybe even better than fine.
And no, things won’t be the same.


That’s a good thing. 



Click here for my free training:

Five ICONIC shifts leaders use to overcome Imposter Complex.

Tanya Geisler
Nineteen

Dearest Lauren -

This morning, you are waking up as a nineteen year-old.

In your bed at residence, happily ensconced in your first year of university, seeing the buds bursting just outside your dorm window that overlooks the CN Tower. The quad will be buzzing with life later today and I can’t help but wonder if you have enough sunscreen.

The Poli Sci exam is looming and you’re on a deadline for your paper on Myths of French Sensuality.

Your father will not be running up a Starbucks cake pop to you as he has done every year for the last 15 or so years, and I won’t be fielding calls from loving friends and family members jockying to be the first to wish you a happy day. (Happy, in the way we all are in your presence.)

So,  it’s a different kind of birthday morning.

Different, but the same.

Because you are ever you.

Yes, you are of legal (ahem) drinking age. In fact, there is nothing you can’t do without our parental permission anymore. 

That’s changed.

But the YOU you are has not.

As I reread my letters to you that I started when you turned eight, then  nine , then ten, then eleven, then twelve, then thirteen, then fourteen, then fifteen, then sixteen, then seventeen, then eighteen, I was really struck by that. How the essence of you has not ever changed.

You are, as ever the kind, generous, empathetic and compassionate glitterstar you’ve ever been.

And now. The hard bit. (Always a hard bit, eh?)

You will meet people who say you’re too kind, too generous, too empathetic, too compassionate.

That you need to toughen up.

That you need to stop caring so much for others.

That you need a thicker skin.

And later, that you need to be more mercenary to survive.

Trust me. They are wrong.

Your compassion is your superpower.

Your empathy is your truth. 

Your generosity makes the world go ‘round.

Besides: they don’t know just how dead fierce you really are.

The gorgeous exterior with the dazzling smile that belies the vast chasm of depth and wisdom you hold. But those who care to see it do. 

I saw it in you at every street corner in Paris, in every exchange, in every pat of a dog, in every new bite.

Just as you could see in Monet’s waterlilies the articulation of the swift passage of time in some, with the stillness of youth in others.

The rest of us missed it.

You didn’t.

You named the social disparities we all glanced over. You asked the questions. Each answer informing how you will approach your poli sci exam, I suspect.

So even as you won’t be munching on a cake pop this morning, you WILL be surrounded by your uni friends who adore you for the kind, generous, empathetic, compassionate and FIERCE human you are. They will make a big deal over the big deal you are.

Savour it. And feel at home in it.

You are worthy of feeling the big deal you are.

There will be a party tonight as respite from the studying, and you will look radiant and will kick up your heels in some fabulous dress, probably to Dancing Queen for the thousandth time.

Feeling every bit of your nineteenness. Shining like the bright star you are who invites the other bright stars to shine brighter too.

Je t’adore, ma belle.

Today, and all the days and all the days and all the days to come.

And then some.

x/Mama


Check out my free training on the 5 ICONIC Shifts Leaders Use to Overcome the Imposter Complex and Grow their Income and their Impact

Where I pull back the curtain on five shifts to start raising voices, rates, and hands all while being the kind, congruent, and authentic leader I know you to be.

Tanya Geisler