Struggles with Body Confidence come in all shapes and sizes, ages and stages, business and life.

There, whew, relax… it’s not just you.

As a national speaker, consultant and trusted advisor, and former national Plus Size runway and fit model (former because as my business grew I chose to retire from my own modeling, and former because I chose to work hard to return to my naturally fit size – another story for another day ;) people confided in me… poured out their hearts in ways that will forever touch mine…

I was blown away one day when, as people gathered to share personal thoughts after The BOLD! Factor presentation, I heard these polarizing points of view:

*Ann, OMG, I consider myself your same size and I could NEVER get up in front of an audience and present like you do!*

And then a few minutes later, same group, different person, shared this:

*I’ve been thinking how it’s no wonder you can get up in front of so many people… and present in a way people actually want to hear what you have to say… if I was tall and had such passion… such a commanding powerful presence as you… well then I could too. I couldn’t tho, because people don’t notice me.*

These comments and these women FASCINATED me.

I kept quiet and listened as each privately shared from the heart, trusting me with their thoughts:

The first woman – who made a point of being larger sized – was friendly, passionate, beautiful – said she could never be in front of a group, and never be on stage, because she’d be worried everyone would be focused on well, you know, everything BUT her message. I’ll spare you the details…

Her gist? How could I get up in front of people as my work… when I was her same size. (Interesting how we view ourselves as similar to or different from each other.)

Later that day, a conversation unrelated to the first, came from a quieter, so-intensely-searching petite, obviously fit, shy, beautiful woman. She said she feels invisible being her size, and that a person of my size is, of course(?!), naturally magnetic and someone people want to listen to and want to be around.

I was blown away. Look at these messages!!

How we view ourselves in comparison to others?? How we see gaining/losing our own cutting-edge advantage based on our size??

Or is this really about our perceived vision of how others see us?? And the perception that being *invisible* might be anything other than the choice it is, as each person makes for him/her self??

You know I have much more to say on this subject… and some proven strategies I know without a doubt can cause the shift that’s needed in our thoughts, actions, outcomes related to this topic… altho my goal is not to turn this blog into a BOLD Body Confidence podium.

I’ll share more on this topic as we go. I have to. God doesn’t put people in front of us just so we can forget and move on with our life, unaffected.

Creating The BOLD! Factor provides me the platform – I feel and respect the pressure of the gifts I’ve been given – as I hope you in turn feel compelled to use the gifts you are given, too.

Body Confidence struggles can be the self-sabotageur that in itself can become the all-safe-here comfort zone we might never ever have to leave if no one makes us.

After all, some things are just too hard to face, much less accomplish, on our own.

So what’s your take on these profound thoughts shared by these two women:

Powerful Perspective… or Simply Another Excuse?!

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© 1993-2012 Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   ANNULRICH.COM

Photo:   Captured this while strolling thru Neiman Marcus downtown. Ever since owning my fit model agency, fit forms make me smile… I have so many stories. I must add that I am not about perfect form – or perfect bodies. And REAL people please. Not fake. Thank you.