Is DIVA a negative word? As we approach the 45-day mark before the release of my groundbreaking leadership book DIVA DECISIONS, I am feeling more empowered than ever to make sure women are able to raise their equity for self, career, relationships and in their personal space.
In a recent interview, I was asked to explain why I chose to put the word ‘Diva’ in the book title because, the host said, “Sometimes diva is looked at as a negative word.” This was a great question.
My response was that we need to embrace all of the terminology, all of the language, that is associated with women and embrace it. Bring it to a point of, this is not about the word or what the connotation of the word is for others, it’s about redefining it for ourselves. How do we see a Diva?
What I know is that to be referred to as a diva has historically been reserved for women who were revered or looked to as divine beings. They were Goddesses or those held in sacred regard. A modern diva is also a term specific to the opera. She is can be a soprano who is in command of her voice and her stage.
A diva for me is a person with extraordinary talent and that is transferable to all women. She is a woman who is in command of her life and her LifeSpace which is the 365/24-7 cycle of our lives.
When we allow others to define for us what words, things, feelings, people, places, emotions, mean, we start the progressive process of giving up our power to create and defend our own choices. It is a diminutive process because it is a constant wearing away of power, bit by bit and day by day, like a tiny crack in a dam that over time becomes a catastrophic break capable of tremendous pain and suffering.
When we allow others to define us, we give up our power. This is a constant, underlying theme in the stories I share in DIVA DECISIONS.
Here are five tips to reclaim your power and increase your equity across the LifeSpace?
Get to know yourself. In DIVA DECISIONS, I talk about personality, character and leadership assessments that will give you a good indication of what are your natural personality traits. Know your most likely personality type and how this affects your choice.
Get to know how your personality traits affect your relationships and your behavior towards others. Remember, personality assessments are not absolute, they help to give you a range of indicators and a good starting point to create self awareness and affirm why we do the things we do.
Think about how your personality traits may affect your choice of career.
Think about how your personality traits may affect how others perceive you.
With all of the above factors in mind, assess your personality strengths and weaknesses when compared to your goals in life. Which do you think contribute to your successes? Which do you think contribute to your biggest challenges?
Find your power by designing actions to maximize your successes and overcome your challenges. This starts by changing your mindset.
Dr. V. Brooks Dunbar
www.drvbrooksdunbar.com