LESSONS FROM A MOVIE ICON
Courtney Nelson, Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications
I have a picture of her in my daughter’s room. She graced us with many great films, profound quotes to live by and a sense of humanity and humility that would suit us all to remember. Audrey Hepburn, born in 1929 in Belgium, was an actress and humanitarian. Her father left the family when she was quite young, so she was raised by her mother and liberated to the Netherlands. To help pay for bills, Audrey stumbled into acting. She landed rolls in Gigi, Roman Holiday, Funny Face and,of course, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her work on the screen was well renowned, but it’s her view of the world, and the work she put in to make it a better place,that truly makes her a star.
As we round out Women’s History Month, I want to take the opportunity to share some key learnings from a woman who shaped movie history, committed her life to humanitarian efforts, possibly impacted a few of our closets, and most definitely changed where we eat breakfast.
Lesson 1: Seize the Day
“Pick the day. Enjoy it –to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come… The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.” In other words, seize the day. Make a conscientious effort every day to let go of the things you cannot control. It’s understandably difficult to “just move on”. However, if we could forgive, let’s say, the person who cut us off -reminding ourselves that perhaps they have a family emergency. Or, quickly adjust and appreciate the gift of feedback instead of dwelling on a “bad”review. Shake off the dread of going into a day full of meetings, and look at the opportunity to engage on projects with cross-functional teams. If we could do those things, wouldn’t we all enjoy today so much more? And if we enjoy and relish in the moment, then we will be more excited to take on tomorrow-and change more lives through our work.
Lesson 2: Lean into the Unfamiliar
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, take on a new challenge and lean into the unfamiliar. The scariest thing about trying something new is failure, right? You may fail, it’s true, but you also might fly. Audrey Hepburn didn’t know how to act, but she worked hard with every opportunity presented. She didn’t know how to sing, but was asked to do so in Funny Face–so she did it. She surrounded herself with people who would push her to try harder and began to believe she could do anything. At work, we are all offered opportunities to take on new challenges. Sometimes we shy away because we aren’t confident or have a fear of uncertainty. Find someone you trust and put a dream out there to them. Ask a leader to help you try something new, but be ready to put the work in –and be ready to believe it is possible!
Lesson 3: Treat Others with Kindness and Respect
“You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than what others say about him.” This is a reminder of the golden rule, something we all learned as children.It remains a classic to this day. Sure, we all get frustrated with a friend, partner or co-worker, but remember to believe in best intent. I read somewhere that how we speak about others is a true reflection of how we feel, view and treat ourselves.What have you been saying lately? At Goodwill, we built a whole trust pledge around just these things. Treat people with kindness and respect. Offer help, seek help and be open to learning from a peer.Then, share the good. Share the strengths and successes-watch what happens in return.
Lesson 4: Put Happiness First
“I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” My personal favorite. Looking at the world through the lens of a child is what this, slightly abbreviated, quote reminds me of. We often get consumed by the negative around us. It shapes and changes how we look at the world and live in that moment. I once introduced a colleague to a “two good things” rule. She had been on a particularly impressive negative spell and the very second this colleague stepped into my office;it was one frustration after another. It shifted the energy around everyone else.While I was always there to listen and allow the venting in a safe space, it quite frankly became painful. I almost flinched when I saw her coming and that wasn’t fair. So, I asked her, kindly, to think of two good things during our conversations. Sometimes we would start with them, but most times we would end with them. That simple request completely changed the energy of these conversations. It would allow her to shake some of that negative “ick” that so often weighs us down and provide for healthier and more productive conversation in the end. Also, it really is more fun to choose to be happy.
I chose to hang Audrey’s image on my daughter’s wall, deliberately. I wanted to share these lessons with her often because I believe simple reminders to work hard, believe in yourself,be kind and choose happiness can shape the future. We can all benefit from reminding ourselves to speak eloquently, introduce optimism into our lives, and take in the day.And heck, if you choose to eat breakfast at Tiffany’s, I’ll meet you there.
