“I am so tired of trying to be what everyone wants me to be. When will it end?”……… That was the email that woke me up this morning. A result of a recently posted graphic on my social that said, “You’re allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” Wow. That sure opened up the floodgates. People were blowing up my inbox. “But Connie, NO ONE likes it when I am a work in progress.” “I’ll never be PERFECT, so who will want me?” “How do you keep it all together when you’re a hot mess deep down?” When will it end? When will others stop pulling at us or thinking we Read More
15 Things to Quit Today to Stop Making BAD Decisions
15 Things to Quit Today to Stop Making BAD Decisions
By Motivational Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta Bad choices? Sure, we all make them. Hopefully as we get older (and sometimes wiser) though, we figure out that we can do better than that. If you’re ready to start making BETTER choices, let’s take a look at the top 15 things to quit starting today. Quit avoiding reality. Too many people live in an “if only” or “I wish” fantasy world—and not in the reality of what is actually going on at this moment!Be honest with yourself. Making choices based on what you wish would happen or should happen or might happen is Read More
Pandemic Fatigue and Your Team
Pandemic Fatigue and Your Team
By Hall of Fame Speaker Connie Podesta Johns Hopkins. UCLA Health. Psychology Today. World Health Organization. Just about every mental health professional in the world right now is helping people navigate Pandemic Fatigue. It’s real. It’s draining. And it is likely to be around for a while. As leaders, now is the time to be proactive about fueling your team’s mental well being with empowering tools, training, support systems – and a little levity. Gagandeep Singh, MD, a psychiatrist at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital in Scottsdale says, “A good laugh can help lighten the mood Read More
Finding Confidence Beyond the Fear
Finding Confidence Beyond the Fear
By Hall of Fame Speaker Connie Podesta Let’s talk about fear. As emotions go, it doesn’t have the best reputation. People don’t usually want to be seen as fearful or anxiety-ridden or…well, wimpy. But here are two things you should know. Everybody (and I mean everybody) experiences anxiety about something. Anxiety can be a catalyst for some pretty amazing things. As someone who’s been a speaker for more than 25 years, I know a thing or two about this topic. You’ve probably heard that people are statistically more afraid of public speaking than they are of death. I get Read More
Leading Through the Uncertainty: Breakthrough or Breakdown?
Leading Through the Uncertainty: Breakthrough or Breakdown?
By Hall of Fame Speaker, Leadership Guru, and Award-Winning Author Connie Podesta, MS, CSP, CPAE If you thought leaders were stressed to the breaking point before, throw in a pandemic and some economic turmoil. It’s hard enough to climb the steep hill of adapting to the wild challenges of our new normal but try making that climb while carrying an entire team on your back. That can feel exhausting and, many times, impossible. So, what’s the difference between leaders who can reach new heights during uncertainty with highly engaged, super productive teams versus those who leave workers Read More
Creating an Incredible Virtual Experience
Creating an Incredible Virtual Experience
By Connie Podesta, CSP, CPAE, Hall of Fame Speaker When a pandemic forced event planners and leaders to cancel all live events almost overnight, it was hard to even imagine what the future would look like. I totally get it. As someone who makes a living speaking to conventions packed with hundreds and thousands of people, often shoulder- to-shoulder, I feel your pain, and your frustration. Social distancing has seriously thrown a big global wrench into all our calendars. The big question for most became – “Now what?” Lockdowns, shelters-in-place, and shuttered stages aside, what hasn’t Read More
Success Lies in How We ‘Act’ or ‘React’
Success Lies in How We ‘Act’ or ‘React’
By Connie Podesta, Hall of Fame Speaker, CPAE, CSP Success is NOT the result of good timing, karma, coincidence, fate or good luck. Those are the labels used by people who REACT to what the world sends their way The true key to success is to ACT: Cease excuses. Be accountable. Take responsibility. Stand out. We’re all too familiar with the “react” mode – right? Wake up in the morning, everything’s fine then boom, we stub a toe, get a tough call from a client, have to learn a new technology platform, the internet crashes…any number of little “disasters” that we allow to derail us. Read More
Take Charge of Your Personal Life So Your Professional Life Can Soar
Take Charge of Your Personal Life So Your Professional Life Can Soar
By Connie Podesta, CSP, CPAE, Hall of Fame Speaker First of all - the idea of personal and professional balance is really a myth. You don't have a personal life and a professional life - you have a life -- and the two most DEFINITELY are intertwined. . Chances are that despite your best attempts to keep the two separate, the quality and stability of your personal life often have a direct impact upon the quality and success of your professional life. In fact, for many people, their professional life mirrors their personal life. When your personal life is stable and happy, this mirroring Read More
Quit Underestimating the Importance of Childhood Messages
Quit Underestimating the Importance of Childhood Messages
By Human Behavior Expert & Hall of Fame Speaker Connie Podesta Straight talk? If you’re 25, 65+ years old or anywhere in between and you’re still blaming your parents for a few (or many) things you believe are responsible for the condition of your life right now – then you’re totally on the wrong path. Now I’m not saying to discount any negative childhood messages or experiences. I’m definitely 100% an advocate for children who’ve been through trauma and I know what that means moving into adulthood. What I am saying is that when you reach the age of adulthood, it’s time to use your Read More
Quit Manipulating the People in Your Life
Quit Manipulating the People in Your Life
By Hall of Fame Speaker Connie Podesta “Me? Manipulative?! No way.” Before you assume this article is NOT about you, keep reading. We enter many of our conversations with desired outcomes. We want to get the project approved. Or land the big client. Or convince the rest of the family to choose the movie we want to see. Whatever it is, we infuse emotions as a tool to “manage” the course of our conversations. Many times, passion and enthusiasm can pave the road to positive results. But what happens if those conversation-managing emotions take a darker turn? I’m talking about Read More