Journey To Centered Confidence With Monique | Interview

In this Confidence Shift Conversation, I am introducing you to my client, Monique F of Calgary, Alberta, who found me looking for color analysis on Google!

Now, I'm proud to share her as a woman in my Hue And Style mentorship universe who match her inner passion for music & her students with her outer assertiveness and authoritty, and she's ready to share why getting both right is better than just typical, surface-level "fashion styling."

 I can't wait for you to meet her. Let us know your favorite part of her story in the comments below! ~ 𝕄ℂ𝔾 

Let's Meet Monique!

MCG: What do you do to serve others with your business & passion? 

Monique: I help others connect with the healing power of music and use their musical passion to build self-confidence, self-awareness, and social connections. (Monique's Music)

The Beginning Of A Different Kind of Style Journey

MCG: Often, people don’t fully believe that your current mindset shows up in how you present yourself and get dressed every day. Before H&S, what were you feeling in and about yourself that was affecting your confidence every day? 

Monique: I had reached a point of burnout and frustration with myself and the place I was in. I also struggled with seeing myself as competent in my roles at work, which brought my confidence down. 

MCG: Where was this keeping you from expressing yourself or achieving new success - in your work, business, career or relationships? 

Monique: I found all areas of my life affected: I felt stalled out in my career, frustrated at the lack of growth in my business, and not investing time or energy into my relationships. I didn’t feel I deserved success, so I didn’t actively pursue it. 

MCG: How was your dressing - style, polish and presence - reflecting this mindset and keeping you from showing up? 

Monique: I am a person of extremes - I was either dressing to hide or wearing really bold outfits, so people would notice my outfit and not me! I was trying to put together a cohesive style from a place of self-doubt, so I often sabotaged my own efforts or gave up, and the things I did try were not authentically me. 

MCG: What mainstream, generic DIY tips and tricks did you try to improve but could never get to work for you as an individual? 

Monique: Oh, everything! I spent hours trying to figure out my colors from online DIY methods, bought and got rid of closets worth of clothing. I tried capsule wardrobes, all the online quizzes, expensive s, and drawers full of makeup that I never actually wore out of the house.

I was looking to the great old internet for answers, I found few gems and a whole lot of garbage - none of it was personalized, none of it came from a place of confidence, and none of it had purpose and intention.

MCG: What turning point made it urgent for you to commit and fix these feelings and your image-confidence once and for all? 

Monique: I was at a point of transition in my career, and I needed a confidence overhaul to even sort out what my next step would be. 

Dressing In New Confidence

MCG: What caught your attention first about Hue and Style®? 

Monique: I first found Hue and Style through looking into color analysis, thinking this would give me something cohesive to work from - what caught my attention and kept me was the focus on confidence and healing. Your sharing of your own story, Michele, made me feel you would be a compassionate guide. 

MCG: What was the first change you noticed? When did you experience it? 

Monique: The first change was clarity about my path, who I am, and what I do - the way Michele helped shape thoughts and values that I hadn’t connected together into a cohesive personal brand gave me insight into myself and a great confidence boost. 

MCG: What was the biggest dressing myth you happily released after joining and learning Hue and Style®? 

Monique:I released ever needing to follow someone else’s style or the latest trends in order to be stylish - I can now take what works for me and unapologetically leave what doesn’t. 

MCG: Why did that change what you thought about yourself? 

Monique: It allowed me to be more centered and present - not worrying about needing to “keep up” and buy all the things. This helped create space for what I value in my life. 

MCG: I share that H&S Women are 10x more visible and memorable to the world and those we help; how fast did you notice the outside world start noticing and responding differently to you? 

Monique: Honestly, quite quickly - I had a really big interview part way through my journey. I remember picking an outfit to represent the values I wanted to highlight, and reading my "SWF" personal branding purpose statement so many times before going to the interview. It was the first time in my life I had seen losing my job as an opportunity and I went into the interview much more confident and centered (and I got the job!) 

MCG: Before you even left the parking lot, I might add! I remember when you shared that with such excitement!

MCG: So many women share that they don't want to learn all the "confidence stuff" about themselves before they learn how to dress - they want new clothes or a new style to update their look for the season. What are they missing in this kind of thinking? 

Monique: I used to feel this way, too, but...

...the reality is that any external quick fix is just that - external. Without authenticity and confidence, style choices can’t be as intentional and meaningful as they are after the confidence work. 

MCG: Why was it more valuable for you to learn about self-acceptance, self-love, and self-expression, along with learning to present yourself and crafting a complete personal brand? 

Monique: Yes! For sure. In fact, this was what really made the decision for me. I knew that the deeper work had to happen as part of the transformation, or I would just be taking on yet another set of tips with no foundation. 

MCG: What was your favorite Hue and Style® skill to learn and now to use? 

Monique: So hard to select one! I love color, so the color analysis coupled with the color psychology wheel are still my favorite tools to use - I have it posted on my bedroom wall. At the same time, my SWF personal branding purpose statement has been so valuable to me in creating clarity, securing my new position, and building my business. 

MCG: How did they snowball into the way you dress and ALL of your self-care (wellness goals, assertiveness, believing in yourself, asking for what you want)? 

Monique: I had to laugh a little at that list, since those are all the things I am still working on! However, I’ve definitely made steps: from the job interview to speaking with my boss about working conditions, feeling more confident in myself, and centered on my value and purpose has given me the ability to step out of the background and start being assertive.

The Power To Show Up Again After Uncertain Times

MCG: We've lived through crazy times, the pandemic shifted everyone's ideas about dressing and, in many ways, diminished or discounted the importance of dressing for presence every day. What do you think about this shift? What do you know that you wish others did? 

Monique: While I do love a day in cozy clothes, this shift towards more casual wear drives me crazy! I know that, for me, getting up and getting dressed for presence gives my day an intentionality that it doesn’t have if I skip that step. I wish others knew that getting dressed isn’t just about being seen by others; it is also about the messages you send yourself. 

MCG: Why is mastering one's image-confidence more important now more than ever? 

Monique: The last few years have been challenging and brought large transitions, which can lead to uncertainty and a lack of confidence. Awareness of the inside-out work of image-confidence could help create much needed clarity and forward motion. There are many challenges still left to be solved: confident creators who can show up, represent their values, and make change are needed! 

Permanently Evolving Success Through Mentorship

MCG: Since becoming a Hue and Style® Woman, what are some of your biggest wins you've had now that your image-confidence is a superpower? 

Monique: I’ve given myself a raise, started asking for what I need, and started to create space for joy in my life. 

MCG: I’ve been mentoring women for over 25 years, and I say this - no one changes permanently without being surrounded by women changing in the same way. Why did you choose a mentorship relationship and program instead of a typical style course or program? 

Monique: I knew I needed a guide and accountability to stay focused.

MCG: How valuable did you find being surrounded with women changing the same way growing together inside the H&S Sisterhood? 

Monique: So valuable! The people in my regular life are all in different places with their own journeys. Being part of a sisterhood helps keep me motivated to move forward and not fall back into old patterns. The discoveries, questions, and successes of my H&S sisters inspire and teach me. 

Continued Growth To Work & Live With Contentment

You are a true H&S WOMEN. A FEARLESS, MAGNETIC, LEADER, READY to serve and a WALKING COMMERCIAL for who you are and what you do! 

MCG: Tell us why your H&S experience was Journey to CENTERED Confidence? 

Monique: I chose centered because my DIY experience is anything but - it was so frantic and chaotic. In my H&S journey, I could keep coming back to Michele with my insecurities, questions, and self-doubts, and she would give me a constant, calming message that returned me to the core of my values and purpose. This centeredness gave me a place to move forward that was intentional, clear, and authentic. 

MCG: Women have trouble giving value and permission to themselves to invest in a transformational personal growth process. What advice would you give to a woman who thinks it's not the right time to pay attention to her image + confidence or doesn't feel she's worth the time, energy or finances it takes to make a change? 

Monique: I’ve been there. I spent a lot more time and energy sitting on the fence and avoiding making a commitment to investing in myself. Since making the investment, I have not once regretted it - and I know these tools will help me through future transitions as well, so I have also given a gift to my future self.

MCG:  Monique, I have watched you blossom! You've learned to step into your creativity and own your assertiveness which lets you delight in who you truly are inside - and that's the definition of self-love making me a very #proudmentor, My Dear.

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If Monique's story sparked hope to trust more in yourself so you can show up in your most powerful way - permanently, click here to discover more about my Hue and Style® mentorship.