Lisa Marie Cloud, Founder of WEN – Women’s Empowerment Network, crafted an amazing speech recently where she likened women to precious stones. She used the acronym for DIAMOND to describe the steps one must take to achieve greatness.
D: Destiny. What is yours? Why are you here? Are you willing to declare your gifts and talents to share with the world?
I: Insurmountable Odds. There will be obstacles along the way. No path is ever clear sailing. There will forces that will work against you. Circumstances of which you have no control. Conditions that you didn’t anticipate. Can you break through and stay focused?
A: Attitude. We all know attitude is a key factor toward success. How do you handle situations and individuals that cause you stress? Do you recognize that you have choices between responding to situations with clarity and control or re-acting in non-productive behavior?
M: Mantra. What you say to yourself over and over again has a major role to play in your life. Are you reminding yourself how wonderful you are? Are you acknowledging yourself and your accomplishments? Self-talk is a critical component to your well-being. Never let anyone or anything define who you are.
O: Overcome – Plain and simple, quitting is never an option. No matter what. You have everything inside of you to achieve what you want for your life. N: Negative People. They will overshadow you. They will keep you from your journey. They will de-rail you IF you let them. There is simply no room for negative people in your life. Period.
D: Diamond – The precious stone that you are. Fashioned out of coal, the diamond is a precious and valuable stone. Live your Destiny. Break through Insurmountable Odds. Demonstate a great Attitude. Speak your Mantra loudly and proudly. Overcome whatever gets in your way. Avoid Negative People. Show the world the Diamond that is YOU.
