It’s my birthday week, so naturally, I’m celebrating life. But here’s what I need you to know: Sheet cake is truly my first love. (Sorry to my husband, Mr. Hot Stuff.)
I love sheet cake so much. I want it served at my birthday. I want it served at my funeral. If you have a wedding coming up and need a cake taster, I’m your girl. #willflyforcake
So, two years ago, when I got a message that said, “Hey, Laura, we need a video about Wonderhell for your birthday to launch your pre-sale campaign,” I responded: “I gotchu, fam.” (h/t to the legendary Tina Fey.)
I grabbed my phone, sat down on top of my desk, in my Limitless Yellow tank top and white jean overalls, with a giant sheet cake in hand, opened Facebook, clicked “go live,” and spent five minutes talking about my new book while shoving my face full of cake. Don’t believe me? Watch it for yourself.
And if you’re like my friend from college who commented, “This is perfect YOU!!” then you get me. But what you might not know is that I got an immediate text from another, newer friend telling me it was “off brand” for me and that I should take it down immediately.
Maybe 35-year-old Laura would have considered doing just that. Certainly 20-year-old Laura would have done it in four seconds flat.
But, fifty-three-year-old Laura? She responded, “Nah…I think there’s never been anything more on brand than this.”
Because like another wise Facebook friend commented: When you are authentically you, you can’t be off brand.
I believe birthdays are about that moment between who we were yesterday and who we just realized we can become tomorrow. Those moments of pause—when we stop and we think: What have I done? Who am I going to be? Isn’t there more out there?
Can I Brag? And Why You Should, Too.
Last week I sent a Hello Truesday newsletter that was a brag on my client IBM. And then I dropped in a brag about myself too. But I also talked about how I almost quit the speaking business for every one of the five hours between waking up in the morning and taking the stage at IBM. (I told you I’d share a secret story about why for those of you who responded.)
Well, wow! Like a hundred of you responded. (And I’ll be sending that story from my next flight, which is where I always respond to every email you send.)
But, I also got one single response that said, “Can you stop sending us emails about how great you are and how great we aren’t?”
Hmm.
Criticism is an interesting thing. And here’s how I handle it:
- Is it true? If yes, then go to school on it.
- Is it loving? If yes, then go to school on it.
- Is it from someone you respect? If yes, then go to school on it.
And, if it’s not all of those three? Then ignore it and move on.
So, I thought about it a bit, and I realized that, yes, sometimes my emails do veer into the “aren’t I awesome” camp. But they always, but always, include the lesson that I learned to make sure that you, too, can be just as awesome — mostly, ahem, because you already are (and likely someone has criticized that confidence out of you).
With that, I am awesome. And, so are you. What’s more? We are awesome-r together.
Go ahead, email me. Ask me for that secret story. Or give me your best brag for the year so far… or both!
Thanks for reading. Now, where’s that cake?
