Hold my glove!

Walking out of Macy’s in New York, last chilly December, my husband asked for his gloves to be held. He put his beanie and scarf on as we shuffled through the crowded Christmassy sidewalk. He asked us for his gloves, and…. we had no clue what he was talking about. None of us had the gloves! In fact, we had no idea who did! We traced our footsteps back to Macy’s entrance. Let’s just say, he paid it forward- anonymously. Somebody else now wears those gloves! Hope they fit!

Your glove is the true you! The way you’re wired. Your natural way. Your strengths. Your success recipe. Are you wearing the right glove, your glove? Perhaps you’re wearing the glove others think you should wear? The hand-me-down. The one size fits all. And you’re trying to dress for success in this way. It doesn’t fit. It’s uncomfortably tiring and it takes huge effort. And you wonder why you’re not energized or inspired? Quite frankly, it stinks!

I once spoke at a local high school academic awards dinner. What fascinated me was the journey each pupil took to get to that dinner table. The same dinner, but not the same journey. I wished I’d had a GoPro view of each student’s exam journey. I wondered whose mirrors became white boards or how many summaries engaged in highlighter wars. Who invested more shares in the lastminute.com society? How much collaborative learning took place? The example is not to define success, but to accent the unique pathway to each individual’s success. Same outcome, different route. 

As we celebrate women during the month of August, it seems fitting to quote the Victorian era writer, George Elliot whose real name was Mary Ann Evan. Using a male pen name got her deep psychological insights to be heard. At that time, female writers were only seen to write romantic stories. Mary, however, was no classic Victorian woman and lived life in her own way! Ironically, she said: ‘It’s never too late to be who you might have been.’

• It’s time to FIND YOUR glove! No matter your age, take time to keep discovering and investing in the true you. This has a profound impact on the quality of your life journey, your relationships, work, influence and strategies. The goal is to keep being the best version of you. Self-awareness is key to success. 

• It’s time to HOLD YOUR glove. Value who you are. Don’t be quick to discard or forsake you because of flippant comments or temporary trends. Avoid comparison. One size does not fit all. Within you is a unique combination of talents. Use your most natural talents to achieve success in all the areas of your life.

• It’s time to WEAR YOUR glove unapologetically! Wear it confidently. This is when you put your best foot forward. You are your greatest asset. Break the predicted world moulds of success recipes and perfection. You have unique contributions to make. The world needs your view and your voice. This song title captures it all “This is me” (Justin Paul & Benj Pasek The Greatest Showman).

And me fits best!