#innercritic

She took it out of me, but here’s what I learned

 Last week, I have not been so well – sick in bed – and the reason is… no, it’s not my 4-year old (step)granddaughter in the picture above. But she taught me a life lesson I won’t forget.  I had cleared my calendar for the week that she was here, to be sure that I […]

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what gives life meaning

What gives life meaning? Find your Ultimate Why

Springtime. Stormy skies and sunshine. Sweet scenting flowers everywhere. Life is bursting from the earth. It makes me feel so alive, but exactly in this season we lost a dear member of my husband’s family. My husband and I had the privilege to be present at his deathbed. We were holding his hand while his

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Women leaders, please don’t be nice!

Women in leading positions are often judged to be not nice. This is one reason why so few women want to be boss, I believe. Yet, one condition to achieve Sustainable Leadership for Women is indeed to stop being so nice. Women needing to be nice is why we’re practically absent where the decisions are taken,

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More women leaders? Get real women to the top.

At a time when women outnumber men at university in most Western countries, I think it’s safe to say that lack of intelligence cannot be the reason why women still are lagging behind when it comes to occupying decision-making positions. Similarly, it’s been known for at least 30 years that more women at the top

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More women at the top boosts share prices

Recent research by Bank of America Merrill Lynch shows that employing more women at the top is excellent for share prices. All male boards will soon have to let more women in, not because they like to share power, but because this is what moves the money. Women now have more economic power than ever.

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To be the perfect woman

Recently I read an interview with a business woman who said that the best thing she ever did for herself was to let go of perfectionism. She was right. Self-oriented perfectionism can be debilitating. As a recovering perfectionist, I know this well. Wikipedia describes the condition as ‘a personality trait characterised by a person’s striving

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The art of being imperfect

‘I see so many women who are great at their jobs, but also at remaining invisible,’ says Elke Jeurissen, founder of the Belgian women’s network ‘De Straffe Madammen‘ (The Strong Ladies). On Story Club, the site where Business Story Teller Raf Stevens posts his interviews (in Dutch) with a variety of people, Elke Jeurissen explains

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A fit of rage can make you feel empowered. Briefly. When anger festers, it makes you sick.

When I have a client with anger-issues, I usually encourage them to express it in order to get in touch with the cause of the sense of injustice that’s underneath. Through our work, eventually their anger melts away. We’ve all been taught that anger is bad, but it can be so satisfying to let it

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dangers of a good child

Have you always been a Good Child? High time to get BAD!  

Were you one of those children who always did their homework on time? Whose writing is neat; who kept their bedroom tidy? Were, or, are you perhaps still a little shy? Did you always want to help your parents? If so, you’re in danger! Source: The Dangers of the Good Child | The Book of

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brene brown

You want to feel invulnerable? Embrace your vulnerability. Really.

  Isn’t being vulnerable totally scary, and to be avoided at all times? That’s what I thought too for a long time. But guess what: it actually makes you strong. Wholehearted, as Brené Brown says in this delightful talk. So go on: be the master of your fate, the captain of your soul. Be vulnerable.

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