We all have that little voice in our heads. Sometimes it offers encouragement, and sometimes it tells us we’re not good enough. I listen to my voice only when she’s telling me, “You can do it!” My confidence comes from knowing that no one else has traveled my road and that unique journey means that my contributions matter.
—Shelley Zalis, founder, the Girls’ Lounge and CEO, The Female Quotient
I practice positive self-talk by mindfully moving to positive takeaways from a situation. I make myself find three positives to be proud of and three things to work on. Rather than dwelling on negative results, I try to learn from my mistakes, which gives me excitement for another chance in the future.
—Patrick Heaney, CEO, NCD Technologies
I surround myself with people who help me grow and hold me accountable, including how I speak about myself. When I can see how others perceive me, it challenges me to confront my occasional negative self-talk and often be gentler and kinder to myself.
—Darrah Brustein, founder, CEO, Network Under 40
I set attainable goals for myself—goals that I can hit or try to hit so I’m not feeling bad about myself all of the time. I tell myself I can’t do it all, and I’m OK with that. I go to bed every night knowing I tried my best, and if I can do that then I feel pretty good.
—Jennifer Hinton, co-founder, creative director, Carve Designs
It’s incredibly easy to get into what I call an anxious thought spiral. When I’m feeling worried about something, I write down my concerns and the worst-case scenario. Then, I problem-solve that worst-case scenario and tell myself that everything is going to be OK.
—Lisa Curtis, founder, CEO, Kuli Kuli Inc.
