Stuck in a meeting room, surrounded by a room full of males. Feeling unworthy and out of place.
A voice in my head saying “ you are a minority..”
Working in tech as a woman of colour has never been easy. We are challenged every day and face those challenges head-on. However, this scenario was different, one that has stuck and one that has also affected many unheard voices.
We succumb to social norms in order to provide for our needs. Not food, shelter, or water but our social needs. The eagerness to belong, needed and liked by others.
It’s difficult to determine what is wrong or right. This causes the human brain to spiral into a maze of thoughts which can result in feeling anxious, depressed, and stressed.
Zimbardo and his colleagues (1973) were interested in finding out whether the brutality reported among guards in American prisons was due to the sadistic personalities of the guards (i.e., dispositional) or had more to do with the prison environment (i.e., situational).
According to Zimbardo and his colleagues, the Stanford Prison Experiment revealed how people will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of the prison guards.
Because the guards were placed in a position of authority, they began to act in ways they would not usually behave in their normal lives.
Our identity becomes embedded with what we believe to be the truth based on our experiences. Our thoughts work overtime to protect this self-constructed image of our identity. Most people protect their egos by defending the need to be right.
Whereas, breaking free from being right or wrong can bring an abundance of creativity, positivity, and opportunities.
Being comfortable with being wrong — is actually powerful and strong. It allows us to be open-minded to others' opinions and thoughts.
Not being tied to defend, but be curious and enquire to learn more.
If there is no purpose in what you do or you see that there isn’t a goal, it can lead to a lack of motivation and passion. There isn’t a willingness to be proactive or actionable in the tasks you’re responsible for.
Remember to take a step back, tune out for a second and gather the pieces of who you are as a person. The rest will naturally unfold when you hold your standards high and ground yourself in the values you believe in.
Write a list down of what motivates you it could be from cycling to trading stocks. Then ask yourself why it motivates you. Dig deep to find your potential and find the reasons you have to reach your goals, live out your values, and overcome obstacles.
Exert your efforts where you hold your values. You will see improvement and growth. Not only within yourself but those around you will be uplifted too.
Hold your head high and cut those connections that don’t serve you.
Any challenge bears obstacles big or small, these challenges result in resilience, growth, and self-development.
Better relationships are created, assertive communication and innovation are organically born all from sticking to your guns and tuning inwards.
These simple steps made me realise how important it is to look after your mental wellbeing and holding your values. Don’t be a stranger, let me know in the comments what has helped you! 👋
