Say yes to being a smart girl

I learned a little something from the Seven Dwarfs today, and no, I don't have an evil stepmother. In a phone conversation with my dad, we were talking about job interviews and how much they've changed over the years. A while ago, he'd taken a leadership workshop through Disney and the instructor pointed out that the Disney job applications asked the question, "What are the names of the Seven Dwarfs?" In the room where applicants came in droves to apply for work, the names of the Dwarfs were painted around the walls. The test was to determine how observant the applicants were. I laughed when my dad mentioned this and responded, "I probably would have looked up, seen the names, quickly looked away and then not written down the names because I didn't want to cheat!"


[image error]

I totally don't have permission to use this picture of the Seven Dwarfs. But can we all safely assume this is the intellectual property of Walt Disney & Co?

Well, there's clearly a difference between cheating and accepting something when it's given to you. I guess I'm still learning how to accept good, even when it's right in front of my face. Sometimes, instead of accepting the real deal (or working for it), I settle for a cheap imitation. I'm not the only one. Every time a girl settles on her worth based on her looks, she's selling herself short. Every time we judge a girl (or boy, or man or woman) by their looks, we're selling ourselves short. Think of all the good we could accomplish if we took some of the energy sucked up in trying to look like–and judge others by–the cover of a magazine and put it toward making a productive contribution. When we accept our worth, we are buoyed – confident, kind, generous.

I'm learning to accept my worth, say yes to the good that I am and do, and not just look. May all of us be willing to look up and see Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sneezy, Sleepy…and write it down without guilt or apology when asked!