Claire Adam’s Post

"Ever wonder what mask you're wearing?" Imagine being drawn towards one path only to be rerouted onto another. This was my reality. Back in school, my heart yearned to weave words into stories as a journalist. My knack for expression even earned me accolades in various writing competitions. But fate had other plans. A lack of financial support for my postgraduate aspirations directed me away from the halls of journalism into the realm of PR. PR: a world I barely understood beyond its association with press releases. Yet, I seized the opportunity, discovering an unforeseen talent within me. I donned a mask—a facade of confident extroversion to conceal my innate introversion - an extroverted introvert no less. At 24, I became adept at this charade, burying my true self beneath layers of performance. And this rather successful performance continued for nearly 20 years. But beneath the polished exterior lay a yearning for authenticity, a desire to shed the layers of pretense and embrace vulnerability. To stay at home when my career demanded that I go out to yet another dinner or event. To snuggle into a book wearing PJs when instead I had to get ‘suited and booted’ or dress up to the 9s (it was the 90s!). Only upon ‘retirement' to the Bahamas in my early 40s and the implosion of my life, starting with cancer, did my true, no-holds-barred journey of self-discovery start. Luckily, I found guidance along the way, not least through the wisdom of Brene Brown and her illuminating work, 'Daring Greatly.' It was a path fraught with challenges, yet each step brought me closer to uncovering my true identity. After all, the most captivating stories are those told with unwavering truth. Sometimes I still put on a mask, intentionally, like Beyonce becoming Sasha Fierce when she steps on stage. But it is deliberate and rare. So, ask yourself today: Am I being true to myself? If not let's jump on a virtual coffee and I'll show you how. LINK TO BOOK IN A DISCOVERY CALL - https://lnkd.in/eFSE5_5q #authenticself #authenticity #integrity #vulnerability #coachingprofesional #therapyworks

🎉 Every month I offer 5 of my favorite things I'm reading, watching, listening to and loving. Not on the list yet? Click the link in my bio to sign up! 👉 Here's a favorite from last month: 💖 I loved this conversation with Christina Wallace and Dan Harris about her new book The Portfolio Life. She offers a refreshing perspective on shifting away from hustle culture and into honoring your core curiosities, the seasons of life, and approaching your career as a portfolio instead of a linear path which may be a key to real, sustainable balance. https://lnkd.in/e2a4zMqc

If you think your story is not interesting, you’re clueless. It might not change the world for the better, but it will change somebody’s world for the better. I was put in honors classes at age 7. “Major work” is what they called it. Smarty pants me, right? I was intelligent, super creative and curious about almost everything as a kid. People thought I was a genius. My dirty truth? I was an overcaloried, super insecure kid who peed the bed until age 14. The smart kids I went to school with went to college, got impressive degrees, high paying jobs, and built meaningful careers. I got D’s and F’s for years. I never wrote for the school newspaper. I failed 12th grade twice, failed journalism, and dropped out of high school two weeks before it ended. I waited 9 years to get a GED and worked for 10 different security guard companies. The past three years, I have inspired many people to believe they can overcome setbacks and emotional challenges. My eight nonfiction books have afforded me magnificent opportunities in public speaking, ghostwriting, book coaching, income building, positive notoriety, more clients than ever before and greater peace of mind. I’ve achieved influence with public figures, everyday people, associates, and strangers. I’ve earned extraordinary friendships, began living my purpose and my publishing imprint has become synonymous with my personal brand. My story is interesting because of the path I traveled and continue to do so. Sharing my journey has positively impacted others. Yours will too. Share YOUR dirty truth and change the world. -D.Y.

My neighbor, Mrs. Perfect, went into labor last night. Everyone in the neighborhood could tell that she was going through so much pain. Now, let me tell you about Mrs. Perfect. She’s exactly what her name suggests—perfection embodied. She plans everything meticulously and always ensures that she completes what she starts flawlessly. In her world, there’s no room for mediocrity, no space for starting small. Every step, in her mind, needs to be perfect from the beginning. When I was about to start my content writing journey on LinkedIn, Mrs. Perfect gave me advice I’ll never forget. She told me to wait until I became an expert. "Don’t embarrass yourself on social media," she said. "Wait until you know almost everything, until you have all the skills." I listened, for a while. I held back, thinking I wasn’t good enough yet. But then something changed. Last night, as she struggled through labor, I couldn’t help but think: She’s here, bringing a new life into the world, and yet even she couldn’t plan everything perfectly. The process was messy, loud, and painful—but the outcome was beautiful. And here’s the truth: Mrs. Perfect didn’t give birth to perfection. She gave birth to a beautiful baby, a new beginning, full of potential. Just like every imperfect start we make when we pursue our dreams. The lesson? You don’t need to wait until you have everything figured out before starting. If I had waited to become an expert before I started writing on LinkedIn, I’d still be waiting. Instead, I began with what I had, learned along the way, and grew through the process. PS: Don't be perfect, be YOU. This last quarter is enough to launch or brand or become more.

Take time to zoom in... Quick judgments produce simple labels like dog, rabbit, cat. But once we zoom in, everything changes and we notice the stories behind. Life is no different. We are quick to judge people by appearances, job titles, single moments. But how often do you really pause to look closer? To see their struggles, triumphs, uniqueness, their whole journey? When we zoom in, we shift from judgment to understanding. From assumptions to empathy. Today, slow down. Look beyond the surface. Discover the extraordinary in someone you've never noticed. ------------------------------------ Photos by Amol Jadhav and Pranav Bhide ‐---‐------------------------------- ♻️ Repost this to inspire people in your network! 🔔Follow me (Simon Koerner) for more.

Do You Know That Every ‘No’ is Just Building Momentum for Your Next ‘Yes’ Let’s rewind to a time when one of the world’s most famous authors was just another person with a dream. J.K. Rowling, the mind behind Harry Potter, faced a mountain of rejections. Twelve publishers turned her down, one after the other. They didn’t believe a story about a young wizard would go anywhere. Yet, she kept going. Imagine if she had stopped after her first few rejections—no Hogwarts, no Harry, and none of the magic millions of fans adore today. But Rowling pushed on, rejection after rejection, and finally found that one publisher who saw her vision. And the rest? History. Maybe you're a copywriter crafting copies that don’t resonate with your audience, or an entrepreneur trying to breakthrough or someone chasing a dream that feels just out of reach. Remember, every “no” is setting you up for that big “yes.” Each setback is building resilience, refining your approach, reminder to learn, improve and bringing you one step closer to the breakthrough moment. So, the next time you feel that sting of rejection, remember: you’re not alone, and you’re one step closer to your breakthrough. Take a deep breath, rework your strategy, and try again Your “yes” is out there waiting for you to keep going The people who make it aren’t the ones who never fail but the ones who never quit

A SOJOURN TO DISCOVERING PURPOSE I recently had an enlightening two-hour conversation about the quest for purpose. Dr Yomi Garnett practiced medicine for 20 years before resigning to pursue his passion for writing. A rare transition! He has become one of the world's most prolific ghostwriters. This deep dive into discovering one’s purpose reminded me that this journey is long and often challenging, but incredibly worthwhile. An interesting point Dr Yomi Garnett raised was about the oldest profession in the world: PROSTITUTION. He mentioned that there are individuals who seem to be born into this role, and those who have discovered and embraced their skills in this field have put them to good use, ultimately finding deep satisfaction and making fortunes from it. This perspective underscored the importance of recognizing and developing one's true path. Then, I realized that I’m still on my own path of self-discovery. For years, my focus has been on financial success and leveraging my diverse skills, which sometimes makes me feel like a “jack of all trades, master of none.” During our talk, he raised three insightful questions to guide me on my path of self-discovery: 👉🏾What are the recurring themes or feedback you receive from others about your strength or talents? 👉🏾What activities or task do you find most fulfilling and satisfying, where you lose track of time and feel completely immersed? 👉🏾What are your core values and belief/ what challenges and experiences have shaped your values and goals? Reflecting on these questions has been eye-opening. I’ll be exploring these themes further in my upcoming posts. Let’s embark on this journey of self-discovery together and see where it leads us.🤔🤔🤔 ****************************************** What about you? Have you found answers to these questions in your own life? Share your thoughts! #Purpose #SelfDiscovery #PersonalGrowth #CareerJourney #Inspiration #Transitioning Dr Yomi Garnett Alexandra Tchomte Alex N. Evans Kyere-Mensah Senator Babafemi Ojudu, CON Oluyemi Oloyede Godwin Chukwunta

A Closer Look! Are You Open Minded? Of course, you are! Or... are you? Take a closer look. No one wants to think they are closed-minded to new ideas, ways of doing things, concepts, or learning something new. The dreamers and doers who are extraordinarily successful always challenge the status quo—maybe not in a confrontational way to others, but in their own minds. They consistently challenge themselves to "think differently." And I don't know anyone more powerful, who challenges my own thinking more than Paul Martinelli. I've associated myself with Paul for a decade. Met him in person. I've attended events. I've been to his home. If you'd like to know more about Mr. Martinelli and his journey of thinking differently, Click here! https://lnkd.in/gghzGzZq This week, I viewed an online post by a sales trainer/professional who is rapidly gaining in popularity. I follow because I value learning, and if you know me, you know I'm constantly looking for ways to improve and hone my skills. The comments were numerous. I wish I could share them and display them. They were so ridiculously sad, they became laughable. Here are just a few of the "pushbacks" in the commentary. "Why is he dressed like that?" "I've been doing this for 25 years; why should I say it like that?" "That won't work in my market." "Yeah, I've heard that before, but my business is different." Of course, you realize those comments were not about the proposed method or the techniques; they were, in fact, a subconscious effort, posing as mostly alibis for non-action, by the commentators in an attempt to elevate themselves by demeaning the content's originator. We see this in the everyday workplace all the time. But consider carefully. Take a closer look. So, on a scale from one to ten, how open are you? Is the umbrella of your mind open...or closed? Sometimes I want to ask, and I often do, "You don't think you are right about absolutely everything... do you?" Why not examine actual results, behaviors, and actions rather than mere words? They are far more telling and far more truthful if one bothers to look. Who you learn from matters! Life is an opportunity. Your ability to reach your potential, whatever that is, largely depends on who you surround yourself with. So, take a closer look. Who do you need in your life to "count ON" ? Who do you need to "count IN" ? Who are those you need to "count OUT" ? If you were to seek out and surround yourself with the best, will it require an investment of resources, your time, some practice, repetition, refinement, some failures along the way, and perhaps some dollars? Absolutely! But... aren't you worth it? Isn't your future worth it? And if you'd like to know more, whom I follow, whom I learn from, the successful people who coach me, mentor me, and that I "Look at Closely," simply reach out. Send me an email. I'm happy to share. You'll thank me later. But of course, you are always free to choose.

I want to share my post on Medium which I formerly published at my blog, journeywithjosephine.com I'm talking about finding your purpose in life here, acting on the stage, adding value to others while you are following your own path. I believe we all need to be surrounded by a purpose while we are technically growing. This will give us an understanding, a mindset to realize why we are doing things the way we are doing them.

I wish they'd taught this in school: The most successful people aren't the smartest. Or even the hardest workers in the room. They're the ones... Who turn their PASSION into a PROFESSION. Think about it: - What did you obsess over when you were 16? - What do you do when you procrastinate? - Where does your mind go when you daydream? That's the thing you should be doing with your life 🤷 My rabbit holes tend to be: 🛹 Watching skateboard videos on Thrasher. 👓 Reading up on counter-cultural niches on Substack. 📖 Exploring language and narrative through novels. 🎧 Taking music recs then deep-diving the genre. 📚 Digging into the art of business and personal growth. And today... Those things are the DNA of OK COOL. ↳ They fuel our creativity. ↳ Shape our culture and vision. ↳ Connect our content to the right people. And honestly... ⚡️The MORE I lean into the things I care about. ⚡️ The BETTER my business seems to do. Wild, right? So, next time you catch yourself procrastinating... Pay attention. Your passion might just unlock the next big move in your career 🪐✌️ ************************ ♻️ Repost if you found this post insightful. 💚 Follow me, Jolyon for all things creativity, culture and content.