Start where you are. Build what matters.The Stress-Free CEO is a weekly newsletter created for women who are building businesses on their own terms. You'll find clear strategies, supportive advice, and practical tools to help you move forward with confidence. No pressure. No hype. Just the guidance you need to grow a business that feels right for you. Let’s build something meaningful together.
Claim the Credit You Deserve
I Know I Said It, But It Sounds So Much Better When You Say It Hi Reader When someone takes credit for your work, it doesn’t just sting. It feels like a quiet betrayal. I first experienced it when I started working, eager to prove myself and willing to do whatever it took to succeed. I did the research, drafted the reports, and made sure nothing slipped through the cracks, only to watch someone else present my work as their own. If I ever hinted at the unfairness, the responses were always the same: “The boss only wants to hear it from one voice.” “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit as long as the team looks good.” “Don’t make it personal.” They got the recognition. I became resentful. And because I was timid, afraid of rocking the boat or losing my job, I stayed silent. For years, I convinced myself it was about the company, the mission, the greater good. But the truth? I was wrong. Silence made me invisible. It cost promotions, fair pay, and opportunities. Worst of all, it taught others that it was acceptable to take my work and step over me like a welcome mat. Here’s what I’ve learned: getting credit for your work isn’t selfish. It’s essential. Credit is how you build your reputation, your income, and your future. Now, when someone repeats my idea and suddenly it lands, I use a little humor to reclaim it: “I know I said it, but it sounds so much better when you say it.” That one line shifts the energy. It acknowledges the idea was mine without creating conflict. It keeps me visible. And let me tell you, taking back your power after giving it away for so long is not easy. It feels uncomfortable at first. But every time you stand tall, you teach others how to treat you, and you remind yourself that your voice matters. That’s also why, when I lead or collaborate on a project today, I make it a priority to give credit where it belongs. If someone has put in the work, they deserve the recognition, no matter what their title. If they haven’t, I don’t hand it out. Because giving credit fairly isn’t just about recognition, it’s about integrity. What You Can Do Right Now1. When someone repeats your idea at the beginning of a project:
2. When the project is finished and credit is being handed out:
3. When you need the person who took credit to redirect it back to you:
4. Reflect on your own experience:Think back, where in your career have you stayed quiet when you should have spoken up? And how would it feel to take that credit back now? 5. Take a small challenge this week:Notice one moment where your work or your idea deserves recognition and claim it. Even if it feels uncomfortable, practice saying it out loud. Start small but start. Your work matters, your ideas carry weight, and you deserve to be recognized for them.
|
The Stress-free CEO
Start where you are. Build what matters.The Stress-Free CEO is a weekly newsletter created for women who are building businesses on their own terms. You'll find clear strategies, supportive advice, and practical tools to help you move forward with confidence. No pressure. No hype. Just the guidance you need to grow a business that feels right for you. Let’s build something meaningful together.
Why it took me 55 years to get a diagnosis that should have come decades earlier Hi Reader, For most of my life, I thought something was wrong with me. I was smart, capable, and driven, but always fighting my own brain. I would start projects with fire and finish them in chaos. I’d forget appointments, lose track of time, and work twice as hard just to keep up. I was told I was disorganized, emotional, or just not trying hard enough. It wasn’t until I was 55 years old that I learned the...
What to Do When You Need a Confidence Boost Hi Reader, Author’s Note:There are moments when even the most capable women forget who they are. This is a story about losing confidence, rediscovering it, and remembering my own worth. There was a period of time when I felt lost. My confidence was at an all-time low. Everything around me seemed to reinforce the idea that I wasn’t being valued. Opportunities weren’t panning out the way I hoped. The world felt loud, critical, and quick to remind me...
Good morning Reader, It’s Okay Not to Know What You Want We live in a culture obsessed with certainty. From the time we’re young, people ask: What do you want to be when you grow up? As adults, the question doesn’t stop. It simply shifts to: Where do you see yourself in five years? The expectation is that we should always know, always be aiming at a clear target. But the truth is, sometimes we don’t know what we want. And that’s okay. Not knowing what you want is not a flaw. It is a natural...