What IS Reframe Shame?

Recently, many people have asked me "What exactly IS Reframe Shame?"  I thought it might be a great opportunity to write a blog about it.

Reframe Shame was born out of several ideas that all came together at the same time; it was a perfect storm of sorts.  My last position lasted a mere 6 months.  The organization apparently hired me without fully looking into their financial situation or without a clear view of where things were headed.  I was a part of a dozen or so lay-offs.  During my time there, however, I had the opportunity to work with public speakers.  When I heard many of the motivational and inspirational speakers and their messages, I wondered why I hadn't thought about doing this sooner.

Throughout the 22 months of my first unemployment stint, I was told over and over by people that I should write a book.  I lost my job, my condo to foreclosure and my perfect credit rating to the resulting bankruptcy.  But, I didn't think anyone would really care about what I had to say; my story was one of millions, literally!

Then, however, I began to realize that many people were not taking the same approach to unemployment--and the falling dominos that come with it like foreclosure and bankruptcy--as I had.  When I read these stories, I was both saddened and angered at how our collective, societal mentality drives some people to literally kill themselves.

I began talking to people, both in the speaking industry and elsewhere.  People said I had a story to tell.  I saw that I helped people come out of the woodwork.  Once, I spoke about my plight at a lunch table at a networking function.  Everyone politely listened to me and nodded.  A week later, one of the individuals at the table approached me privately at another event to ask for advice on filing for bankruptcy herself.

You see, she was in the exact situation as me, but was wrought with shame about it.

As the idea developed, I eventually realized that my life has been spent helping people overcome shame.  I have always talked to my friends about things like divorce, coming out to family and a whole host of other events that we can often only see in a negative light and didn't speak in cliches.  My perspective wasn't just the canned jargon we often use for certain situations.

So in a nutshell, Reframe Shame is about overcoming anything in life that shames us.  Often, these events are beyond our control, but often our collective mentality places certain judgments.

I've overcome the shame of long-term unemployment and all its ill-effects.  I want to help others overcome what prevents them from moving forward in life and finding success and happiness!

Contact me for more information about speaking at your event.  It would be such a pleasure.