I’m not a robot, so I decided to stop masking as one and show up as my whole self – a multifaceted individual who enjoys wearing many hats.
I’m not exactly sure where I learned it, but somewhere down the line I learned in corporate America, you can’t show your whole self or you always have to put on your best face. And for me, that looked like hiding parts of myself that I felt may not be accepted or judged. That left me to present only bits and pieces of myself that gave me what I believed to be my professional image. As time passed, this mindset and approach to my career have limited me. Here’s what I mean:
- Although I never want to apologize for being professional, I think it’s been a way for me to operate in spaces without being able to bring my best. All of me is “dope.” So when I can bring my full self to the table confidently and boldly, you’re getting the best me. Period.
- If you censor part of your life, there’s a good chance that behavior is carried into other aspects of your life too. And censoring automatically makes me play on the outskirts of everything. It’s like never getting into the thick of it. And believe it or not, it’s actually more tiring for me to constantly censor.
- I know I was put onto this earth to share, challenge and encourage. Any instance that I’m not doing that stifles and suffocates my truth.
So why do I share all of this now? Frankly, because I’m tired. And I also know I’m not the only one. I’ve taken on the moniker “Lauren Relinquish” because deep down in the depths of my soul I seek freedom. And in order to obtain that, I’ve got to keep relinquishing; Setting myself free of what hinders and hurts me or what no longer serves me. It won’t always be easy because a lot of this is ingrained and will take some unlearning, but I am committing to showing up in my truth NOW.
So, welcome! Join me!
