I can't complain. Life is good, business is good, most days are good days - even great days - but every once in a while... 

Being "out there" and building a strong personal brand is fantastic for driving leads, opportunities and media exposure. But the flip side is that it opens me up to attacks, negativity and "drama."

Some people LIKE and even THRIVE on drama, particularly public drama (i.e., reality TV), whereas I avoid conflict to an almost pathological degree. It's the reason I actually have to practice saying "no" to people or standing up for myself (thanks to my coach Jody Johnson for help on that). It's also the reason I got completely derailed last week after receiving a (really) nasty email.

I bring this up because we've been discussing all the benefits of "Shameless Self-Promotion," but putting yourself "out there" is not all rainbows and unicorns. Visibility comes at a price, though that's no reason to stop. 

Staying small is a great way to avoid conflict, drama and "haters," but it's also a surefire way of, well, that's it: staying small. No great person, up to great things, was ever without her (or his) detractors. In fact, it's a right of passage! But there are ways to manage and deal with it, which we'll address in Shameless Self-Promotion Principle #6 ("Haters Gonna Hate") at the upcoming Women's Success Summit, May 21-22. [Quick aside: register with my promo code "mivi" to get my insider's special discount.]

And that's just one of the many ways the Summit is special. Yes, you'll walk away feeling uplifted and inspired, with "a-ha" moments and strategies to propel you forward BUT it's NOT la-de-da, kumbaya, feel-good, touchy-feely BS. We tell it like it is, sharing real situations, real answers, real strategies and real tactics for both the positive AND the negative sides of promoting yourself, so you get noticed by the right people, for the right reasons.

My lesson from my bad day: I'm going to be more aware so I don't let someone else's bad day become MY bad day, or someone else's issues become MY issues... I'll only lose sight of my own objectives. Just because someone ELSE has a problem with me or my choices, doesn't make me or those choices WRONG.

Keep it real!! 

Michelle