Open Letter to … Nicole Kidman… I just wanted to say thank you.
I remember watching an interview of Nicole Kidman, discussing her new movie ‘Lion’ and a role which she claimed was “meant to be”.
One of her comments stood out at the time. She said, “I didn’t have a leading role, but this was a role I had to do.” She went on to mention that she felt very connected to the story because it was in part her own story.
Personal branding is the journey of discovering your personal brand purpose, values and mission and it has its roots in your personal brand story.
Some people falsely believe that personal branding is all about self-promotion and strategic image management ie how you look.
However, as Dr John Demartini said, “How can you be yourself if you don’t know yourself.”
Personal branding is the intentional journey to become yourself. The ultimate personal growth training program and professional advancement tool.
Your story is important and tomorrow I have a special gift to help you unravel your story.
However, today I want to unpack the brand lesson that became evident in Saroo Brierley story, Nicole Kidman’s role in the “Lion” and the importance of your brand story (aka your past) to determining your brand purpose.
The intertwined stories within the movie the “Lion” are heartbreaking and inspiring. If you haven’t watched it, then please do.
It is a perfect illustration of what the now late author Brian Klemmer author of the book, “The Compassionate Samurai”, said, “Your life experiences ( aka brand story) are aligned to your life purpose.”
Firstly, let me just say that the story is based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. The movie is his story. However, his story became part of many others stories including Nicole Kidman’s.
At the time I was watching these interviews, I heard Nicole say she was grateful to have a role that allowed her to portray a mother’s love for her adopted children.
But I didn’t understand why she said it til recently when I was confronted by what seems a pervasive attitude that parenting and loving adopted children is not the same apparently as parenting and loving your own children.
Our foster care system is full of children whose biological parents were unable to love them appropriately. Conversely, their are many step parents, foster carers, carers, educators who have the ability to love children that are not their own.
In that moment, I realized why Nicole had said what she did.
Dr John Demartini, suggests no one is ever absent, nothing is missing in your life.
If your biological mother was absent then someone fulfilled that role. He goes on to suggest that there was potentially a significant benefit in gaining this relationship over the natural one.
In the movie “Lion”, Nicole’s character shows how much a mother can love an adopted child, confirming Nicole’s personal opinion you can love adopted children as if they were your own.
Nicole goes on to say in her interview that from her experience as a mother and an adoptive mother, her love for her children is the same, irrespective of whether she gave birth to them or not. I personally feel, she has the authority to speak to this issue.
Nicole admitted she was grateful for the opportunity to reveal a mother’s love wasn’t founded in biology but in the desire to be a mother and in the child’s understanding of a mother’s love.
The events within the “Lion” story are almost unbelievable… yet an adopted son tells us of his amazing journey to find his biological mother and the importance of his adopted mother’s unconditional love.
That story was made into a movie with Nicole Kidman in a starring role hand-crafted for her. And most profoundly important, Saroo’s story brings attention to the 80,000 Indian children who go missing each day.
In March 2017 Compassion Australia was forced to shut down their sponsorship program in India. It is a tragic situation that affects more than 147,000 children, who will no longer benefiting from Australian child sponsorship.
The movie has brought to the world’s attention the number of orphaned and homeless children in India, which numbers in the millions and the Indian Government’s decision to prevent International Aid Organizations from providing essential resources to these children.
If you wish to help in the new efforts, please head to http://lionmovie.com/ for more details on specific programs in India which have been granted access.
Nicole’s story, the two mother’s stories, the adopted son’s story … your Personal brand story are important.
It contains the essential elements of your brand values, brand purpose and brand mission.
Nicole, through her adoption of two children, a miscarriage, natural birth and surrogacy issues, her movie career, her partner choices, her movie role choices and her fame allowed her to draw world wide attention to this movie, its message and it’s causes.
One of the most poignant moments in the film for me was when her adult adopted son sympathizes with his adopted mother’s inability to have her own child…
Nicole’s character responds along these lines, “We could have had our own children, but we chose not to. We decided that there were already enough children in the world who needed our love and we decided to adopt.”
This indicates a remarkable capacity to love. So thank you…Nicole Kidman for affirming a woman’s capacity to love…
…irrespective of whether a child is yours or not, they deserve your love, generousity and time.
Tomorrow I have a special gift for you to help you start your personal brand journey to discover your brand purpose and your “Why” …
Take a minute to complete a further Mini- Action Step: Starting Your Brand Story and share your insights.
Jump the Q – Action Step
So let’s take an immediate action step towards unpacking your personal brand story.
Jump the Q – Action Step: Starting Your Brand Story
Take a few minutes to start writing your brand story and save the document we will need it again later. Within the Brand Yourself Academy we go deeper into your personal brand story but today I just want you to start jotting down your life experiences.
Write down with just dot points milestones and significant events of your life.
What events do you remember from childhood? People entered your life, list down any significant events or the impact they had. What was your school career like? Do you have any vivid memories? What happened to you when you left the family nest? Why did you do the things you did? Why did you make the choices you made? What relationships have you had? How did they end and why?
Can you start to see a theme or consistent issue emerging? Don’t be worried if something is not immediately evident as this is the evolution of personal branding.
Please note the aim is to quickly identify events and experiences which are part of your brand story. You may wish to capture the beliefs and ideas that arose at the time.
Please connect with a counsellor if you feel you could experience an escalated reaction to this process.
We have posted this article on Facebook. Share your thought and insights.
We also include several more Action Steps within the Brand Yourself Blueprint. If you haven’t already, reflect using our free Brand Yourself Blueprint and Work Journal.
Tomorrow, I have a gift for you.
I look forward to sharing your personal brand story and assisting you in its journey.
Look after yourself.
Many regards,
Rachel Quilty
Brand Strategist and Chief Dream-caster at Jump the Q
Brand Strategist and Chief Dream-caster at Jump the Q
Launch your own personal & business brand with:
Jump the Q – Personal Brand Consulting
Web: www.jumptheq.com.au
Social: RachelQuilty
Jump the Q – Personal Brand Consulting
Web: www.jumptheq.com.au
Social: RachelQuilty
Email: info@jumptheq.com
PS. If you scrolled down to here, the snapshot is … Your personal brand story is important and it’s a good time today to reflect on the elements your personal brand story. Download our Brand Yourself Blueprint and Work Journal. Start developing your brand story today…
PSS. I have a gift that I am getting ready for you… tune in tomorrow to get your surprise!!
PSSS. You NOW belong to a bold group of “Jumpers” who take leaps of faith, knowing the safety will arrive. Tell us on socials where you are at in your brand story journey so we can support and encourage you, because we know your journey is important and someone is waiting to hear your story…