Confidence In Horseshoes & Art
Following a waste of six hours of my life last night watching “the election information,” as I heard someone call it, (considering we can’t call it election results), I developed one main take away: If you want to get somewhere in life, you have to be “a closer” because, as my dad would have said, “close only counts in horseshoes.”
After giving this opinion some thought, I realized that to be “a closer” we need confidence. But why?
Currently there is a disconnect in this twenty-first century between consumers and most companies’ online platforms and the use of technology where a consumer can jump from one company to their competitor in about two clicks and three seconds.
Yet, there are some brands that have avant-garde, trendsetting, and chic sweeping followings (e.g., Glossier).
These brands build confidence - if you take this concept back to high school economics consumer confidence measures optimism and fuels spending. So why not apply that to our life and our personal brand. If we are willing to purchase a brand that builds confidence, then our personal brand should build confidence as well.
Paralleling this concept to our humanity, holding our own zest and confidence in our personal brand creates a point of view of a confident individual with punch when we are perceived to others. We don’t want to disconnect with those who we come in contact. Because while celebrity culture is all of the craze and can influence us, celebrities are not those who we talk to at work, on zoom, see in a coffee shop, or even complement us when we are walking down the street. These people are our #girlgang. They are our community where each one of us serves as an influencer in fashion, beauty, ambition, art, work-life balance, STEM, writing, or even love. These individuals are who we want to exude confidence to through listening to their passions and displaying our own.
How do we begin to take part in this confidence revolution?
By taking note what other individuals are experts in and manifest as well as focusing on how to become that influencer by displaying your passions and noticing others’.
Surround our lives with confidence boosting art, books, beauty products or - heck frame a picture of yourself standing in front one of the best pink walls!
Bring pieces with moxie into your life whether that is acquiring some bold art pieces to look at each day, following artists on social media to glance at their vivid post, or listening to spunky playlist. If you are starting your search here or want to add some spice, The Kaplan Twins, Logan Ledford, Hunt Slonem, and Ashley Longshore not only defy traditional stereotypes in their art with the message it communicates, but also bring a “brand of wit,” playfulness, and language dissection.
Ashley Longshore’s art gallery in Bergdorf Goodman
Hunt Slonem’s Range
The Kaplan Twins
Logan Ledford
These few examples and many other artist, writers, composers, and designers bring these ceiling breaking, modern thoughts to the front and center of our lives promoting our confidence and showing that we can influence our communities with passion and be the individuals who build each other up - all it takes is a little moxie.
