I'm so honoured to be featured alongside these incredible women at Clio. With it being #WomensHistoryMonth and #InternationalWomensDay, I've been doing a lot of reflection on my professional journey as a young, Asian professional.
People who know me describe me as an outgoing, extroverted, bubbly, social butterfly. However, growing up in Indonesia, with all the societal pressures and unwritten rules on how women should/should not behave, I've had to do a lot of work to overcome my imposter syndrome (spoiler alert: it's still a work in progress).
Although I may come across as confident and strong, I often doubt myself and my skills. I feel like I thrive in situations where I'm facilitating workshops, executing on projects or even being a culture ambassador to our new hires through our company-wide onboarding program. But when it comes to presenting ideas in a room full of people who I *think* are more senior than me, my pulse starts racing, my palms get sweaty and I feel the need to retreat and hide behind my shell.
"What if my ideas are bad?"
"Who am I to provide input?"
"They probably know better."
These are the questions and assumptions that cloud my thoughts and feed into my insecurities. I've come to the realization that it boils down to me being afraid of failure, of being incompetent and chasing the validation of others. This has led me to become a people-pleaser.
Instead of sharing my honest thoughts, my raw ideas, or even what I feel, sometimes I try tailoring my response to what I think people would accept or like. That seems tiring though, doesn't it?
One way that I've been able to build my confidence is by surrounding myself with powerful, strong women. Here are a few lessons I've learned from them:
1. Sharing my opinions and ideas is my job! Whether that idea is accepted or liked is out of my control. Thank you Coach Katie Wyka for helping me to reframe.
2. I have a choice in how I show up in every moment.
3. There isn't one type of leader. I can be driven and high-performing but also lead with empathy and compassion. Cecily Clarke and Allison Jones are my inspiration!
4. It's okay to have an unpopular opinion. Penny Efthimiou (she/ her) is a great example of a person who isn't afraid to voice her thoughts while also being able to create a safe space for others to share their ideas.
5. What people think of me should not define my self-worth.
There are so many other women at Clio and in my community that have made such a positive impact on me, but the list is too long! I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all the women out there who also support and hype up other women 💜
As I'm writing this post, a post that I've had drafted in my Notes app for more than a year, I'm still anxious and nervous about what people will think.
Today, I'm letting that go.
Instead of seeking that external validation, I'm just writing this for me.
In honor of #InternationalWomensDay and #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re spotlighting a few of the incredible women on #TeamClio along with the advice they’d share with their younger selves.
We know that the achievements and resilience of women are not limited to a single day of acknowledgement.
We'll continue to spotlight Clions, as well as the stories of history-making legal trailblazers on Clio’s social media channels all year through and beyond.
