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| Filming video at Sarah Heinz House |
“Don’t let someone else’s opinion define your worth.” – Jordan Michaels
Greetings from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Things have been busy. I am still a working mom of three, working full-time who is trying to make a difference. I do a lot of things and try to be present so that I can learn from them. I share them on this blog so that we can learn together.
Below are some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world.
Recently, I was reminded that humility and confidence can occupy the same space. Indeed, they have to if you want to achieve success.
That said, for awhile, my confidence had taken a hit and I was almost choking on humble pie. When your relationship implodes and you are quite literally exchanged for a younger model, it can be hard not to allow feelings of insecurity to seep in. It doesn't matter if the younger model is a downgrade or less attractive. It only matters that the rejection stings.
Recently, there have been a bunch of such stories in the media about famous women being the victims of cheating men. Most recently, Nicole Kidman's marriage to Keith Urban was ended and he re-engineered a song, within days of the divorce being filed, to reflect his feelings for the newest object of his affection. Class has left the building!
I discuss Nicole Kidman's situation because if one of the most beautiful women in the world can be the victim of cheating, regular women are surely not immune. So, the realization that my own sad situation is not novel did not make it less hard. Now that I am over a year past implosion, my days are mostly pleasant. Still, I had yet to reignite the confidence that I had when I started this blog until recently.
I now realize that focusing on what was done to me as opposed to focusing on who I really am had the potential to derail everything that I have worked for. And, ain't nobody got time for that!
Re-discovering my voice
I was having one of those days—the kind where self-doubt creeps in quietly and settles like fog. I’d been questioning whether my voice still mattered, whether the stories I shared were reaching anyone at all. My blog, once a vibrant outlet of connection and creativity, had stalled because my internal embarrassment was interfering with my ability craft anything relevant.
The thought that kept percolating was, "Who am I to tell anybody anything?!"
Then, two things happened. First, I found photos from a video shoot I completed for Sarah Heinz House. Seeing the photos reminded me of what a great time I had completing that video and how the Executive Director chose me to tell my story because she believed that I could, "kill it". After we were done she told me that I did not disappoint her. The photos boosted my confidence.
Second, while at a meeting in Pittsburgh, a woman tapped me on the shoulder. “Excuse me. Don't you have a blog?" I said, "I do." She said, to someone else, "Chaton is one of the people who inspired me to start a blog. She's an OG. I heard her speak at Blogging Con too. I just love her!"
I was stunned. This wasn’t a comment online or a like on a post. It was a real person, standing in front of me, telling me that I made a difference.
That moment reminded me that impact isn’t always visible. Sometimes, it’s quiet and personal. But it’s real.
So if you’re a creator, a writer, a storyteller who is having a rough time—keep going. Don't let what has happened to you make you question your value. You never know who’s listening, who's watching or how deeply your words might resonate. Also, don't anything to make you question your value. Rejection by one person is literally rejection by one person. There's a world out there with people who want the opportunity to appreciate what you have to offer. So, share what you have with the world!!!
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