Has it ever happened to you?

Photo credit: Maiken Ingvordsen

I read about the win of Demi Moore at the Golden Globe Awards Ceremony last weekend.

At the age of 62, Moore clinched her first ever trophy for her role in The Substance, in which she plays the role of a woman who trades her body for a younger, more beautiful version of herself.

Although she’s been working in the film industry for 45 years, she had never received such an accolade until the other day.

Her impassioned speech goes like this:

"Thirty years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress and at that time, I made that means that [awards] weren't something that I was allowed to have, that I could do movies that were successful, that made a lot of money, but that I couldn't be acknowledged.

"I bought in, and I believed that, and that corroded me over time, to the point where I thought a few years ago that maybe this was it, maybe I was complete. I've done what I was supposed to do.

"And as I was at kind of a low point, I had this magical, bold, courageous, out-of-the-box, absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called The Substance, and the universe told me that you're not done.”

Have you ever had a ‘popcorn moment’?

One day, someone you respect, believe in or are influenced by, tells you something about you that becomes etched in your consciousness.

The observation that they make about you, their interpretation of your behaviour, are not your truth, that’s their view.

But somehow their words resonate so much that you believe them.

And this, like as with Demi, starts to corrode you, to eat at you, to wake you up at night, to make you doubt about yourself.

You become their perceived version of you, you shrink, you end up limiting and betraying yourself, rather than remaining the unique and wonderful you.

I’ve had a few popcorn moments in my life.

Parents, teachers, bosses, significant other, you name it, they all have an opinion of you (as we tend to have one of them).

And if you don’t trust yourself at the core, you will fall prey to those seemingly insignificant comments.

It is said that negative criticism stick to you like velcro, while praise runs off you like water of a duck’s feathers.

I remember one particular comment from a previous boss. They told me that I needed to have the way in front of me as solid and straight as a concrete path, but that in business I ought to be like in the jungle (did she mention Tarzan or Mowgli, uh, I can’t remember), agile and able to fly from one rope to the other to make my way forward.

Wow that stuck so much! I started believing it, I thought I sucked at my job, I dismissed the planning and organising skills that had up until then served me so well in delivering the objectives I was set, etc etc.

The inner voice went down the negative spiral, and with it my confidence and my performance.

OK the rest is for another day, let’s go back to Demi Moore for now.

What lessons can we take from her story then?

Here’s my take on it:

1. Words have a tremendous power. Let’s choose our words carefully and wisely when we interact with others, especially when we have a degree of power or influence over them.

2. It’s never - NEVER - too late to shine!

3. If you don’t believe in yourself, you will be way more at the mercy of comments from others.

4. Self confidence grows out of unconditional self love and self knowledge. When you know your SELF, you know what your innate gifts are, you honour yourself and your contribution to the world we live in, whichever shape this might take.

5. If you have faith that the Universe has your back, magic will happen, as long as you pay attention and start taking aligned actions.

I’d love to have your take on this story, why don’t you share it with me if you have a moment?

And if you or someone you know is in need of confidence boosting by way of harnessing one’s natural strengths, please reach out too 😊

✨Let’s make 2025 a year to shine!✨