In today’s episode of the “Own Your Awesome” podcast, host Miranda Von Frickin takes us on an empowering journey of self-discovery, aiming to help everyone own their stage, both literally and metaphorically. Inspired by her client, Brittney Barnum, and the recent “Guts, Girls Using Their Strengths” event, Miranda shares invaluable insights and practical tips on how to take center stage in our lives. Let’s dive into the core elements—reflection, articulation, gratitude, and grace—necessary for truly owning our awesomeness.

Reflection: Know Thyself

Reflecting on your journey is the first step in owning the stage. Self-reflection isn’t just a pause; it’s an active process of delving into the experiences that shaped you, examining the obstacles you’ve overcome, and acknowledging the personal growth you’ve achieved. Miranda emphasizes the importance of understanding who you are on a deep level. This self-awareness forms the bedrock upon which your confidence is built.

The Impact of Experiences

Our experiences—both good and bad—play an integral role in shaping our character. Reflecting on these moments allows us to gain insights into our strengths and areas for improvement. Miranda highlights how panelists at the “Guts, Girls Using Their Strengths” event shared their stories of overcoming challenges, which in turn inspired others to embark on their own journeys of reflection and growth.

The Role of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness isn’t just about acknowledging our past; it’s about recognizing our current state—our energy levels, mental processes, and emotional well-being. Miranda inspires listeners to journal their thoughts and feelings, encouraging introspection that leads to authentic self-expression.

 Articulation: Find Your Words

Once we’ve reflected on our journey, the next step is to articulate our story in a way that feels true to who we are. Miranda draws attention to the concept of personal branding, which was a hot topic at the event panel discussion. Branding isn’t about creating a facade; it’s about communicating our true selves to the world effectively.

Being Authentic

Miranda’s advice to one of the audience members—focusing on “being” rather than “branding”—strikes a chord. Authenticity is key; your story is your own, and there’s no need for embellishment or pretense. The words you use should resonate with your core beliefs and values, making your message not only genuine but also impactful.

Crafting Your Message

The power of language is undeniable. Miranda encourages you to choose words that mirror your authentic self. Whether you’re crafting a blog post, a LinkedIn update, or delivering a keynote speech, let your true voice shine. The goal is to articulate your journey naturally and confidently, making it relatable and inspiring to others.

 Gratitude and Grace: Embrace Your Journey

Owning the stage isn’t just about self-promotion; it’s about acknowledging those who have supported you along the way and extending grace to yourself and others. The combination of gratitude and grace creates a powerful foundation for growth and resilience.

Practicing Gratitude

Expressing gratitude for the people, opportunities, and even the challenges helps us stay grounded. Miranda’s recount of her gratitude for the women at the event, her experiences in Hawaii, and the support from her clients illustrates the positive impact of a grateful mindset. Gratitude not only nurtures relationships but also fosters a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Offering Grace

Grace involves extending kindness to ourselves when we fall short and allowing room for mistakes and learning. Miranda’s vulnerability about her own journey encourages us to grant ourselves the same compassion. Embrace imperfections and view setbacks as opportunities for growth. This mindset shift can significantly enhance our ability to shine under the spotlight.

Building a Stage for Others

Miranda wraps up the episode with a powerful reminder: true empowerment comes not just from owning our stage but from building a platform for others to shine as well. Britney’s example of bringing together women from diverse backgrounds, allowing them to share their stories and wisdom, serves as a testament to the transformative power of community.

Creating a Ripple Effect

When we step into our power and confidently share our journey, we inspire others to do the same. By building a supportive and inclusive stage, we contribute to a collective elevation, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

Elevate and Empower

The real magic happens when we uplift each other. Miranda encourages us to extend a hand, share our stage, and cultivate an environment of mutual respect and support. By doing so, we not only elevate ourselves but also create lasting, positive change in our communities.

Conclusion

Owning the stage requires a blend of introspection, authentic articulation, and a heartfelt practice of gratitude and grace. As Miranda beautifully illustrates, when we take charge of our narratives and support others in their journeys, we create a powerful, positive ripple effect. Step into your power, share your story, and remember: the stage is big enough for everyone.

Transcript:

Miranda [00:00:01]:
Hello. Hello. And welcome to another episode of the Own Your Awesome podcast. I’m your host, Miranda Von Frickin. I have so much to unpack about my Hawaii trip. However, I’m gonna pause that for a moment because there needs to be some attention shined on one of my favorite clients and favorite people in this world, Brittney Barnum. I am so proud of her, and I I made this episode called On the Stage, of course. But I created this episode after her event this weekend called Guts, Girls Using Their Strengths.

Miranda [00:00:45]:
There are so many reasons I am literally dedicating a whole episode to this experience from my perspective, from her perspective. I have a little bit of it as she’s a client of mine, and we’ve already talked multiple times since the event. And I wanna do a couple of things that not only shine a light on her, her awesomeness, and her power, but also how she is using her platform to elevate others. And that is that is how I roll. So clearly, she’s a girl after my own heart. She is another woman who loves God, loves women, and has created a life for herself that just works. It’s just such a vibe, and I’m so proud of her, but it’s beyond her or I. In this episode, I wanna dive into how you can own the stage that is your life.

Miranda [00:01:39]:
Not just your life, but your work, your accomplishments, all the things that you have done the work on to make you you that got you to where you are today. And if we’re not feeling comfortable taking the stage literally, that’s okay. There’s a few things we can do for us to either literally or figuratively take the stage and shine a spotlight on our awesomeness. So, let’s dive in. You’ve done the work. Right? You’ve done the work. Personal development. You’ve networked with people.

Miranda [00:02:15]:
Hopefully, you’re on LinkedIn. If not, let’s talk. And you’ve said yes to yourself and opportunities that got you to where you are today. You’ve overcome obstacles, you’ve overcome overwhelm, potentially some type of burnout because we’ve all been there. You’ve gone through grief and pain and loss, and maybe you’re on the other side or maybe you’re you’re trying to get to the other side. Either way, there are things in your life that need to be spotlighted, not only to help you through what’s happening or to elevate your level, but to, essentially, help others too, to be an example, to show people that it can be done. And this is why I’m such a fan of the own your awesome brand because it’s not just about us owning our awesome. It’s about being an example so others can do it too.

Miranda [00:03:12]:
Ugh. Such a vibe. I feel like that’s all I can say this weekend. Obviously, I’m already on a high from returning from a massive expansion in Hawaii, but then the next day like, I literally got home at 7 AM. And the next morning at 7 AM, I was driving in a storm, a winter storm. Like, what? I thought it was spring. Driving to this massive event, girls using their strengths in downtown Albany, New York. And I just I want to not only shine the spotlight on the event, but also what came from the event, the woman the women at the event.

Miranda [00:03:52]:
I was the emcee of this event and interviewed 16 different women. There were 4 panels, 4 different topics. 1 was leadership, one was owning your fuckery, which I thought was hilarious because, you know, I’m all into owning our shit. But, I mean, this one was just next level. So many different types of health and wellness conversation, mindset conversation. It was just a beautiful gathering of women. I believe there was 2 men there, but a beautiful gathering of women. And the thing I’m most proud of of Britney and the women there was that some most of them said it wasn’t typical for them to take the stage.

Miranda [00:04:38]:
There you know, some of them are very influential here in our area. The Bautista was there. We had Heidi, from the, what was it, the American Dream TV, a real estate broker. There were so many different women, Kathleen McLean. Like, these are women who take the stage every day, and having a spotlight on them is not out of the norm. But then there are other women who don’t typically join a stage or, you know, they they help elevate other women, and it was awesome to see the blend of women who this was natural for and women who this was not natural for. And, honestly, there was even one woman who I was like, wait. What? She told me how nervous she was and that I made her feel very comfortable, not only in my questioning, on the panel, but also just before and after the event.

Miranda [00:05:29]:
And I was shocked to think she was uncomfortable shining a spotlight on herself because of what she does. And it made me want to, kind of, give you 3 practical things because you know me. I’m all about, like, high level inspiration, but I’m also about the nitty gritty. Like, what are we doing to achieve whatever it is we’re talking about? And for all of us, there was 20 women who essentially took the stage, including Britney and myself. And whether it was normal for us to shine a spotlight on ourselves or not, there were 3 things that every one of us have done in our work or in our life that made it possible for us to take the stage. Of course, one was doing the work. Right? These aren’t even the top 3 I want to talk about, but this is just in general. We all did the work on ourselves.

Miranda [00:06:15]:
Right? We said yes to ourselves. We, you know, became either experts or guides or gurus or influencers. Guru is such a funny word to me. But we we’ve done the work. Right? We we have an expertise in something, whether it was, hormonal, fluctuations in our body. We had a physician’s assistant who talked about female hormones and the changes we go through. We had a former backup dancer for JLo and a bunch of other huge celebrities that really opened us up. And if, girls, if you were there, you know what I’m talking about.

Miranda [00:06:55]:
Opened us up to the power we have within us, to be a better mom, a better business owner, a better spouse. And there were, you know, weight loss coaches. There were, different women who worked to elevate, the business world, the corporate world. We had a framework expert and it was just it was such a vibe. Alright. So we’ve all done the work to get us on that stage. Whether we’re comfortable or not, putting that spotlight on us is another thing. There are 3 things I came up with to talk to you about how you can take center stage of your life and of your work.

Miranda [00:07:37]:
The first thing was reflection. Right? So whether this is typical for you or not to write content or put yourself out there, reflecting on who you are and why you do the work you do is a huge piece of being able to take the stage. Again, whether it’s writing a blog post, starting a podcast, getting on a literal stage because I know a lot of you listening want to become speakers. And the way I got there, and I’m sure Britney got there and a few of these other women got there, was massive, massive reflection. The awareness side of this group of women was so heightened, the self awareness of who they are, who they serve, and how they roll. Right? Like, what they’re giving out to this world. It wasn’t just, you know, I got a degree, so I’m gonna talk about the topics, or I overcame this, so I can be an example. Like, there was a lot of that, but it was all grounded in self reflection.

Miranda [00:08:38]:
They got to know who they were on deep, deep levels in order to articulate what it is they’re trying to put out into the world to help other women do the same. So massive reflection, friends. Like, if you’re taking notes, that’s my number one tip and way for you to start to take center stage of your life, whether it is, of course, to put it out there to the world or even just every day in your in your home, sports mom, shoveling the snow life. Whatever it is you do, it doesn’t matter. But if you want to own your awesome and take center stage and own the stage of your own life, the first thing you really need to do is reflect. Reflect on where you’ve been, reflect on the experiences you’ve had, how it affected you, Reflect on the people that you’re surrounded by, either in the past or currently, and what they brought to your life. Reflect your energy. Like, what what is going on? Reflect on the energy physically, mentally, spiritually.

Miranda [00:09:40]:
There’s so much work to do in ourselves in order to own that stage. So the first thing is reflection on who you are, your experiences, and why you want to do the thing you want to do. If you wanna write a book, if you wanna start a podcast, if you wanna start a business, you wanna get a new job, reflect on all the reasons why and get really deep with it. Because once you do, there’s this switch that flips and gives you this heightened sense of confidence, control, and power, and that will catapult you forward. That is what will build momentum for you. So get reflecting, friends. The second thing is once you have reflected, it’s a great opportunity to find the right words. Right? So how to articulate and in a way that is natural to you.

Miranda [00:10:32]:
So we talked a little bit about branding. 1 of the panels was confidence, being seen, and personal branding. And, you know, those are my jams. Right? I was like, yes. Let me just ask myself all the questions. But the women on the panel, they were on point. They knew exactly what they were talking about. They owned their brand.

Miranda [00:10:50]:
And the coolest piece of it was there was a question from the audience and the woman asked about feeling inauthentic in building a brand. You know, the words she chooses, you know, how to say it that will attract people. And my response just came right out of my mouth, and and I’m not surprised what the response was. I told her to stop focusing on the branding and start focusing on the being. And this was a huge takeaway for her as well as for even me and the women on the panel afterwards that came up to me and said, like, that was such such a great way to respond to a personal branding question where people feel intimidated to do personal branding. Because you don’t have to be in marketing, or you don’t have to be, you know, a video expert or a LinkedIn content strategist in order to be a brand. Everybody already has a brand, whether you know it or not, and I may have to do a whole episode on that. But we have a brand.

Miranda [00:11:47]:
It’s just up to us to make sure that it’s accurate. Right? So branding, of course, my little math equation is what I put out to the world, plus how people perceive it and and receive it. So that equals our personal brand. If you want to have a brand or you wanna attract people to you, your mission, your work, you know, your business, whatever it is you’re doing, we have to put something out there, and we do have to create some type of words or sequence or, you know, a vibe, if you will, for people to really feel and be attracted and draw themselves into us. But think of it as branding versus being is what’s gonna make the difference for us in our mind because being is easy. Right? You are who you are. There’s no such thing as being an imposter if you’re just being you. So that will boost your confidence right then and there when you have to articulate in a way that’s natural to you.

Miranda [00:12:51]:
So we’ve reflected on all the things. We know what we wanna put out into the world. Now it’s time to create some verbiage around that. What does it look like? What’s the vibe? How does it feel? How do you make other people feel in order for them to receive the message you’re putting out there? So finding words that work for you, that feel natural to you like, if if you don’t use the word vibe or synergy or any of the other buzzwords you hear out there when it comes to personal branding, that’s okay because it’s you. That’s the coolest piece of it is brand you. It’s just being you. Alright. So the second thing is to find words to articulate all the things you wanna put out to the world in a way that’s natural to you.

Miranda [00:13:38]:
So you can’t own the stage as someone else. You can only own the stage as your complete authentic self and finding words that express who you are and how you roll in a natural way is gonna be the game the game changer for you. And then the third thing was a combination of gratitude and grace. This one is so good. I have been doing nothing but being grateful in the last week or 2 for all the things. Grateful for my trip to Hawaii, my client that brought me out there. Grateful for Britney, the client who put me on the stage. Like, I help these women elevate their life and activate new levels all day every day.

Miranda [00:14:20]:
It’s what I do as a life coach. And I don’t typically talk about being a life coach a lot because I let God bring me the right women. I don’t typically promote that I’m a life coach, but I am. And it’s a huge piece of what I do, even more so than LinkedIn. But I talk more about LinkedIn because, let’s be honest, it’s easy. It’s easy to make a lot of money doing the LinkedIn thing, but life coaching is actually my calling in life. And I get to help these women create a life that they love, that they love. And not only make money doing, of course, but that they absolutely love.

Miranda [00:14:53]:
And a huge piece of that is gratitude and grace. Grace for mistakes we may have made in the past, grace for decisions we have made that either didn’t work out or hurt somebody, maybe grace for ourselves that we’re not getting there fast enough, or that maybe we tried to take the stage and we fell. I mean, I’ve literally fallen off a stage before, so, obviously, I have to be a little more graceful. But also give myself grace. I mean, listen. It’s hard to walk up a stage in a tutu. You get where I’m going here. Gratitude and grace, the combination of the 2, allows us to really sit in and feel all the things we’re feeling when that moment comes, whatever that moment may be.

Miranda [00:15:40]:
Gratitude for the people around you who got you there, who pulled you up after a fall, who boosted you up, who said your name in rooms that you weren’t in. Gratitude for people, opportunities, places, processes, moments. Gratitude for yourself. That’s a huge piece that I find, women don’t do enough of. We’re very grateful for things outside of our control and outside of our self. But have you taken a moment to reflect and use the proper words to be grateful for yourself? That that right there in itself is powerful. And then giving ourselves grace, giving the people around us grace, I think that really helps us to not only own the stage in our life and to put a spotlight on ourselves, but for them as well. Giving ourselves grace, to make mistakes, giving ourselves grace, you know, in the moment if something isn’t working out or we need to pivot.

Miranda [00:16:40]:
There’s so many times I’ve said things, like, this podcast is not edited. Don’t come at me, all of you with your media companies. I get it. I I need to do some editing, and I need to level up, and that is in the plan. But right now, I’ve given myself some grace to just be completely me, completely authentic, sitting on my couch, looking out at the snowy landscape outside my window, giving myself the grace to just speak and just be and just put this out to the world because it’s on my heart. And if it’s on my heart, it’s there for a reason, and I’m here to give it to you. So if you’re looking to take center stage of your life, to take the literal stage and become a speaker or an influencer or to put your thoughts out there to the world to really affect change, it’s gonna take guts. See what I did there? And it’s going to take massive reflection, finding the right words to express how it feels natural to you to do the things, not being anybody other than yourself, and it’s gonna take gratitude and grace.

Miranda [00:17:48]:
What would you add to the list? I’m super curious because I know there’s so many other things, but 3 is a magical number in this world of training and development. So those three things are super powerful, and I use every single day in order for me to take the center stage of my life as well as to literally take the stage when I speak at events or train organizations or take center stage when I’m writing content because I know that can be just as scary. No matter what it is, taking the stage and putting the spotlight on ourselves is really something that it it evolves over time, and it can be scary at first. So reflecting, finding the right words, and giving yourself some grace while being grateful for the opportunities is what’s gonna get you there. And then as a bonus, and another shout out to Britney, when she took the stage this weekend, her words were so true and authentic, and we felt every single one of them. But not only did she take the stage, she built a stage for other women, and that’s the thing that really kicks it up a notch. It’s one thing for you to shine a spotlight on your own life and to own your awesome, but when you bring other women with you, that is the true definition of sharing the spotlight. So let’s shine the spotlight on ourselves.

Miranda [00:19:10]:
Let’s take center stage in our life. And then when we feel super confident, let’s share it with the world and build a stage big enough for every woman to come with us. Friends, thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Own Your Awesome. I am pumped to talk to you about Hawaii next week and all the reflections that I’ve done, all the ways that I have leveled up. But today, the spotlight needed to be on my girl, Britney, and then, of course, on you. So thank you so much. Find me on Instagram. Connect with me.

Miranda [00:19:44]:
Let’s have this conversation. Are you looking to take center stage of your life, looking to take the stage literally as a speaker or a trainer, a podcast host, an author, all the things? I’ve done all of those things, and I wanna help you do it too if that’s a goal that you have for yourself. So find me on LinkedIn. Find me on Instagram. I’m at Miranda dot Von Frickin on Insta, Miranda Von Frickin on LinkedIn. Let’s have a conversation. Let’s hop on a call. Let’s zoom it out.

Miranda [00:20:10]:
Let’s break down some of these barriers that you may be feeling when taking the stage of your life or of your business. Thank you so much, friends, and until next week, continue to own your awesome.