Did you hear the Shonda Rhimes commencement speech to Dartmouth about when you see her succeeding in one area of life, she’s inevitably failing in another? That’s something that not a lot of people think about when we see success. Before meeting a few remarkable individuals in this anticipated “Ones to Watch” and “Impact JCMO” issue, I want to send a message to everyone, but especially those who are going above and beyond.

Get curious about boundaries.
Many people use the word boundary in an off handed way, but I didn’t understand what the term meant until I began to learn how to set them. It’s a slow process of figuring out what kind of boundaries you need and even slower at times making them known and respected. But a good place to start is recognizing when there’s something you don’t want to do — and don’t have to do, but you still do it with a smile on your face. Sometimes that’s not customer service — sometimes, it’s a boundary cry.

Check your identity outside of work.
Who are you without work? What is your value when you strip away all the responsibilities and deliverables?When are you doing things just because you like to? Upon entering the workforce, were you catapulted into a role that you’ve been fulfilling ever since? What would life look like if the roles we were cast in were gone? At the end of the day, no career is worth your identity.

The way you see yourself is not how the rest of the world sees you.
It’s weird, but we have a vision of how we appear to the world, and yet the majority of the time we are wrong. Next time you feel inadequate, embarrassed, or not ready, chances are, everyone else is worried about their own insecurities, and they think so highly of you!

The way we love ourselves is how we love others.
In times of stress, disappointment, and doubt, there’s a voice in our heads that is so much harder on ourselves than we are on others. Try speaking to yourself as your would your best friend. The nicer we start treating ourselves, the better we can be to everyone else.

The audience wants to see you do well.
Sitting in the audience, you want to see athletes do amazing things or actors live out their best performances, right? It’s the same when you’re in the spotlight. People want to see you succeed. If you slip and fall, the audience wants to see you laugh it off and own that fall. It means you’re human, and it also gives others hope. So just remember, we’re all cheering for you.

Bask in the limelight classes of 2022,
Missy Creed McFerron, Publisher(she/her/hers)