Growing up, I felt inadequate and insecure because I wasn’t rich.
This feeling of being ashamed started when:
- I attended Beverly Hills High School to
- mingling with wealthy girls in my sorority to
- working among managing directors in investment banking,
I was always having to be scrappy, budgeting and calculating.
Then one night back 8 or 9 years ago,
we went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
We talked and drank in a private box with parents from my daughters’ school as we watched barrel racing and girls on horses in the arena.
We were standing around telling stories.
Then all of a sudden, I told my story.
“My mom and I lived in a crappy one-bedroom apartment just so I could attend Beverly Hills High School,
Oh but my mom drove a Porsche.”
That’s when it happened.
Everyone laughed.
Not at me but with me.
Telling my truth made the other parents like me more.
And most importantly, I felt a little more confident, like I could take the bull by the horns.
This experience reminds me of the final scene of the movie "8 Mile," a 2002 American biographical hip-hop drama film.
In a rap battle, the protagonist, Jimmy, played by Eminem, pre-empts potential insults by acknowledging his own "white trash" roots and difficult life.
By exposing his opponent's privileged background—private schooling and a stable, two-parent household
—Jimmy wins the battle.
Embarrassed and without a response, his opponent concedes defeat.
I wish I had discovered this secret power of authenticity in that it helps us be more honest with ourselves and owning our story.
When I read Carla Harris’s book “Expect to Win”, she talks about being authentic at work and how it helps you build closer relationships with people.
When we are honest about our roots, people cannot ridicule us;
they can’t judge us.
Instead, working hard to get ahead garners respect.
Embracing authenticity not only empowers us but also helps to break free from the confines of the rat race and create genuine relationships.
If you don't have a good relationship with your advisor, please reach out!
Happy 4th of July!!
Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide,
Tiffany Kent, Tiffany@wealthengagement.com
Empowering women to take control of their future!
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