Skin cancer, surprise pixie cut, and the story you tell yourself

Well, well, well. The holidays were a DOOZY, weren't they?

Let's just say, between the excessive snacking and the last-minute gift shopping, I managed to squeeze in a skin cancer diagnosis, a miraculous autoimmune disease vanishing act, and a haircut that could only be described as... "experimental." (Bless you, barber who had never cut a woman's hair before... you tried.)

Oh, and I'm also writing a book. Because why not? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Here's the thing: Life is a never-ending rollercoaster of plot twists. One minute you're caroling around the Christmas tree, the next you're slathering chemo cream on your arm and wondering if your arm hair will fall out. (Spoiler alert: It kind of did, but only around the carcinomas)

But here's the REAL kicker: It's not the plot twists that define us, it's the story we tell ourselves about them.

Do I tell myself I'm a cancer-stricken, autoimmune-confused, victim of a bad haircut? Or do I tell myself I'm a resilient badass who's rocking a new pixie 'do and taking life's curveballs with a positiver attitude and a dose of curiosity?

The choice, my friend, is yours. (And mine, obviously.)

And that's the message I want to share with you today.

As nonprofit leaders and marketers, we're constantly getting hit by curveballs. Funding changes, staff changes, volunteering challenges and everything in between. There is no way to prevent this, but instead you can reframe them because they are all stories. Stories about our organisations, our missions, our impact.

And the most powerful stories we can tell are often the most personal ones. The ones that reveal our own vulnerabilities, our own struggles, our own messy, chaotic, and often hilarious journeys.

Because when we're willing to be real, to be transparent, to let our freak flags fly, we connect with our audience on a deeper level. We build trust. We inspire action.

So, here's to embracing the chaos, owning our stories, and rocking those unexpected pixie cuts. It's time to think about all those challenges or problems in a new light, and work out how you can share those stories to create more connection to your community and build a bond of relatability and trust. 

With a healthy dose of irreverence (and SPF 50),
Alecia

P.S. If you're curious about the book, the autoimmune vanishing act, or the gross after impact of chemo cream, send me a message! I'm an open book. (Literally.)