Photo courtesy of Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/romitagirl67
Hope you had a good summer! I spent most of August working, but fun working— writing Act II of a newly commissioned play. (More on that later.) I did manage to enjoy a few summertime activities, though, including seeing the summer blockbuster movies. The pervasiveness of all things Barbie brought back so many memories! When I was young, I had her Dreamhouse, her car, I even had her books. One of them, Barbie Goes to a Party, I read, reread, and re-reread. It’s vintage, but you can still buy it!
There is a very simple plot: Barbie dresses for a party. But much suspense: what will Barbie wear? So many options! Because Barbie is all about her clothes. But she also has a keen desire to wear what’s most appropriate to the occasion. As she muses about exactly what kind of party she’s going to, she changes outfits. Many, many times. In the end, she learns she’s invited to a picnic, so she chooses rolled-up jeans and a white Oxford shirt—as do all the other “casual” Barbies and Midges.
It’s an article of faith In BarbieWorld—at least in this particular book—that you never wear anything not quite “right.” If you did, not only would you not fit in, but you might not be able to have fun. Who could enjoy a picnic in a ballgown and heels? Barbie was always Barbie, though - no matter what she wore.
This book came to mind recently while discussing “authenticity” with a client. Because often clients struggle, thinking they need to pin down one perfect expression of Self. That’s as likely as Barbie’s closet holding only one outfit - a single ensemble to suit myriad occasions. As Walt Whitman said, we all “contain multitudes.” We adjust our attitudes to various situations the way Barbie adjusts her wardrobe. That doesn’t make us less authentic. It makes us more flexible. I tell my clients to think of it as “stepping into your leadership shoes” or “wearing your mentoring hat.” The trick is freeing yourself from rigid definitions of “authentic self.” Head-of-the-Boardroom-Table You is not the same as Behind-the-Podium You, or Interview You, or Cocktail-Reception You. it is definitely not Picnic You.
If changing your outfit helps you make these transitions, go for it! But know that a mental shift, like doffing one imaginary hat and putting on another, can help. too!
