My initial email to friends and family to announce this blog and invite them to visit acknowledged I was a bit “shy” because its content is geared to my “personal” comments and feelings rather than taking a “professional” approach.
I’m feeling better about that now.
Part of that is just because I’ve launched. I’ve always preferred reality to anticipation. However, I’ve also been able to think about it more, and I realize that being aware of “feelings”… and being able to articulate them is a valuable part of who I am as a communicator.
I believe an essential part of being a good professional (in any field) is being passionate about what you do. You have to CARE, What you do has to MATTER. To me, that means somewhere at your core, even when it doesn’t “show,” you take what you do… and how others respond to it… personally.
To survive as a professional, you develop a shield between your core and the inevitable criticism and opposition you encounter. To be a successful professional, you even learn how to sift through the criticism and opposition for “learning experiences” that add to your skills and abilities. Depending on the source of the criticism and opposition, depending on your self-confidence, depending on your experience and maturity, some of it gets easier to dismiss… some of it gets easier to accept.
However, never be fooled by the shield, even the most ”professional” of us DOES take it “personally.”
BECAUSE WE CARE!