Maintaining confidence through adversity
Maintaining confidence through adversity
Disrupting norms will test your confidence to the max
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel to a class I took during my Master’s degree in Public Policy, called Power and Practise. The professor and past council member, Andrea Reimer, asked me and one other policy professional questions about how we found our purpose, how we maintain this purpose through difficult times, and how we use power to change public policy.
This class was filled with disruptors, change-makers, and students who have and will continue to make a huge impact in the world through public policy and the private sector. In other words, these students were in or pining for powerful public-facing roles, pushing progressive and revolutionary ideas. These were leaders who wanted to make a massive change. These were the three questions that came up over and over again:
How do you deal with judgement from others (friends, family community)?
The reality is that if you are disrupting societal norms, you will receive endless judgment. Politicians, content creators, non-profit founders and private sector leaders have massive influence, yet are extremely susceptible to receiving constant criticism from others.
When we let this criticism stop us from living our purpose, we do ourselves and the world a disservice. If you are someone who wants to change the world, it is not your job to placate the opinions of others; but rather to serve your highest self and highest purpose.
My advice? Do whatever you can to block out the noise. Don’t read the comments, block, mute and delete people without thinking twice. Set firm boundaries, check in with your mental health regularly and do what is necessary to remain focused on your goals instead of distracted by the noise. Because that’s all it is; noise.
Affirm: People will try to get in my way, especially if I am doing something revolutionary.
How do you cope with transitioning to a different role or life path after burning out?
When I decided to pursue content creation full-time, I had to let go of my previous dream of being an environmental policy analyst. I had experienced severe burnout and began to question whether this field was good for my health and well-being. Ultimately, connecting to my highest purpose made the transition much easier.
Our life paths rarely look linear. Sometimes we do not understand why we are being forced to transition until we can have hindsight in the future. It is easy to feel like our past was a waste, that it was all for nothing if we transition careers.
We must remind ourselves that nothing about our past goes to waste. Every experience we ever have goes into building the unique human we are, and that uniqueness is what gives us a professional edge. If we are being forced to learn new skills, it is for a reason. We must trust that the universe [or G-d, higher power, creator] has a bigger plan for us, even if we don’t know it yet. Every moment and every transition is a learning opportunity we must embrace to end up stronger on the other end.
Affirm: I will have the courage to guide my own path.
Do I have a spiritual practice?
Life can become much easier when we connect to something bigger than us. I sustain my resiliency in the face of cancellation, criticism, and chronic illness by connecting to G-d through my Jewish heritage and culture. But, there are many ways to connect to something bigger without practising religion.
It is important for people in stressful positions to feel sure in ourselves and our divine life path. This can be supported by maintaining a religious practice, having mantras you regularly say to yourself, spending time alone in nature, choosing to believe in a higher power, or learning about your ancestry and what sustained your ancestors through difficult times. By connecting to something bigger than us, we become more self-assured and rooted in a mission and vision that is bigger than us.
Affirm: My work is about something much greater than myself.
Sending love you work of art,
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I am a trainer antisemitism educator, have an MSc. Public Policy and Social Change, and am a Master Storyteller and Influencer with over 300K unique views/month. My greatest strength is inspiring a group to confidently take action. You can read more about my public speaking offerings here. You can inquire by filling out this Speaker Inquiry Form or replying directly to this email. No pro-bono requests please!
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It’s international Hannah week! 🎉 This e-mail is pre-scheduled because I’m currently in Banff celebrating my 26th birthday with my parents and partner, Navar. Celebrating myself because what better time than my birthday!