Diva Moments Series:Learn how to Wear Your Crown

We are bombarded with images of dueling Divas on our television screens, in movie theaters and social media.  The word DIVA is often synonymous with the word drama.

Crown Controversy

The queen of Soul,Aretha Franklin and the Queen of Rock,Tina Turner exchanged heated comments when Beyonce referred to Tina Turner as the “Queen” during a Grammy tribute.

Obviously both of these DIVAs deserve a crown.  Aretha Franklin has received over 20 Grammy Awards and has sold 75 million albums worldwide.  She is the undisputed “Queen of Soul”.  Tina Turner has sold 200 million albums worldwide,overcame a publicly abusive relationship and is recognized as the “Queen of Rock and Roll”

Both of these women wear notable crowns and have been recognized world-wide for their accomplishments.  So why would either of these DIVAs have an issue with one another?

Do you know women who feel that when another DIVA is recognized or celebrated, it takes away from their accomplishments,notoriety or status?

Let’s get over it DIVAs!

Here’s some help.

1. Every DIVA wears a Crown-your crown is what makes you as unique as your DNA and your fingerprint.  It is the sum of your gifts,passions,personality and style.  When you embrace and celebrate your uniqueness, it makes it easy for you to appreciate and celebrate your fellow DIVAs.

2.Know your Worth:  You cannot allow another person’s opinion of you to define you.  Self-worth is what enables us to believe that we are capable of doing our best with our talents,passions,fulfilling our purpose and living a rewarding life.  Your self-worth cannot be determined by someone else’s opinion of you.

3.Allow criticism to motivate you.  One of the hardest lessons for kids to learn is that not everyone is going to like them.  But the sooner they understand this the better.  This is a lesson that some adults still refuse to learn.  Allow your critics to become your motivators.  Use crticism as fuel to strengthen your character and build your resistance to adversity.

These two “Queens” continue to have very profitable and rewarding careers.  In the end, it proved to be a waste of time and energy.  DIVAs let’s learn to celebrate each other’s successes and give credit where credit is due.  We all can wear a crown and be the “Queens” of our dreams.

Beware of Average Thinking

I recently finished a book by Dr. David Schwartz,”The Magic of Thinking Big”.  One of my favorite sections of this book talks about how to avoid average thinking.    Dr. Schwartz defines average as “Being the worst of the best and the best of the worst” .

In most cases the margin between victory and defeat is relatively small.  In the Indy 500 the margin of victory was 1.54 seconds.  One extra degree causes water to reach its boiling point.  Your victory or defeat is directly related to your thinking.  Average thinking leads to average results.

There are a few strategies that Dr. Schwartz recommends.

1. Believe it can be done.” When you believe something  can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.“
2. Eliminate the word impossible.  When you believe something is impossible your mind, words and attitudes are forming around that expectation.  Be solution minded and find a way to make it happen.
3. Embrace change-Albert Einstein describes insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  Growth requires development.  Development requires some type of  stretching or resistance.  Resistance and Stretching are uncomfortable but necessary to fully mature.

Ask yourself each day, what can I do to be a better person, do a better job, and live a better life than the day before?  Take action; decide today that you will not be a victim of average thinking.