How are you currently showing up to work? Are you showing up as you want to? There are times when we don’t give our best because we may have a bad day or the workplace is newly changing, and that’s normal. But when does it become a pattern?
Self-awareness is the proactive step towards taking responsibility for the life we want to live. In the workplace, it’s up to us as professionals to self-reflect and ensure we’re doing the self-work to perform at our best, even when we don’t feel like it.
The Resume and The Mirror
If you’re not showing up the way you want to, then I encourage you to reflect. Today, I’m advising you to use two tools for an honest self-check: The Resume and The Mirror.
Do you remember when you first applied to your current job? Your resume could have promoted skills such as “works well with others”, “works well under pressure”, “positive attitude”, “team player”, and I could go on and on. You’ve probably had a few of those on your resume, am I right? If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at it, I encourage you to dust off your resume file and open that PDF or Word Document. Once it’s opened, we’re going to use the second tool, a mirror.
With your resume opened up, take a good look at your resume and then back at yourself in the mirror. Then, ask yourself if your performance and attitude are as good as you promoted them on your resume to HR when you first applied and interviewed for your job.
This is where you reflect…
Maybe you’re new to the job and need to remind yourself of how management may view you, or maybe you’re a seasoned worker who needs that reminder of the skills you promoted in your resume. No — I’m not saying you’ve committed resume fraud; this is more like a “post-honeymoon phase” where the team is evolving, and the storming begins. Or, where many years or decades have passed, and the attitude at work has changed.
Looking at that resume, you may remember when your attitude shifted from pleading with management and HR to criticizing them. Remember, at first, how much you wanted to be part of that team? Look at the mirror and ask yourself, what’s changed, and what can you do to get that feeling back?
Finding your WHY.
No matter bad days or not, most of us still have an obligation to show up to work. There’s a team that needs leadership, deadlines to be met, and goals to achieve. Bills to be paid. We have to position ourselves for good play by facing issues head-on and staying grounded in our why.
Using honest self-reflection tools such as the resume and the mirror, we can reflect on how much we’ve changed since we started our current position, revisit the feeling of wanting to be part of the team, and work on performing at our best and getting back to that feeling.
Here’s to continued success!
With Peace,
Penny
P.S. Are you ready to lead with more confidence and less conflict? Join Penny’s Live Public Seminar and strengthen your ability to handle difficult conversations, build trust, and create a healthier team culture. We offer both in-person and virtual options; dates are listed below.
Public Seminar 3 – Virtual via Zoom
May 14th, 2026
Public Seminar 4 – Virtual via Zoom
July 22nd & August 19th, 2026
Public Seminar 5 – North Bay, Ontario
September 17th & October 7th, 2026
Enrolment is now open
