April Program Recap – Flip the Script with Chelsea Austin

Article by Claudia Machado-Gellis, Program and Communications Specialist, MADD Florida (FPRA member since 2021)

Takeaways:

  • We are worthy just by waking up.
  • Money does not equal success.
  • We are like a business, we all have a unique valuable proposition.
  • Take advantage of labels, redefine them and make them yours!
  • ANYTHING is possible.

Wendt Kurtz, former FPRA president, introduced her client, friend and our guest speaker Chelsea Austin.

Chelsea started her talk explaining her own Flip the Scrip moment. After 4.5 years as a realtor and successfully selling $90 million in real estate, she gave herself 365 days to flip her script. Even though she was striving in her career, many days she ended up crying and with panics attacks. Chelsea felt she was in “the closet” and not able to express her true self. At 26 years old, Chelsea ended up in the hospital and after numerous tests the doctor said all you need is self-care. She explained how many of us are living the scripts of other people, checking the boxes that have been assigned to us and not knowing who we are. As humans, we quickly tend to label ourselves and others. Chelsea repeated a simple concept that most of us forget which is being worthy by just waking up in the morning. Chelsea said it is our birth right and agree 100%!

Also, many of us are seeking perfection and setting the bar as high as we can. Chelsea challenged the audience by having our own definition of perfection. She encouraged the room to set the bar as high or low as they wanted, and it is okay to change it. At the end of the day, that bar is an abstract concept and can exists or not exist…it is up to the individual. Another label or bar we sometimes measure ourselves with is how much money we make or how much money we have in the bank. Chelsea reminded us that money does not equal success. Success is what we make of it. It is the way we feel when we get there. Chelsea urges individuals to ask themselves:

  • What are the things you want?
  • How do those things make you feel?
  • How long are you willing to wait for those things?

She also equated humans to a business. We all have a unique valuable proposition! Later, Chelsea talked about impostor syndrome which likely affects those with more degrees, more credentials and especially women. She said having impostor syndrome is not going to change how we feel. We need to create our own script, and anything is possible. Although we should make our own labels, she loves when people create labels for her, because she redefines them. She takes those labels and gives them a meaning that makes sense for her. Chelsea talked about two categories of labels: macro labels, which are the nouns we use to describe ourselves, and micro labels, which are adjectives we use to describe ourselves. Once we have identified those labels, Chelsea suggested that in order to flip our script we must ask ourselves the below questions:

  • Pick six of your macro or micro labels.
  • Define those labels yourself.
  • Prioritize the labels/roles that are important to you.

Chelsea ended her talk with a discussion about rejection, and how it is not a blockage but an opening. Sometimes the journey of waiting for what we want and not accomplishing it is as important as actually getting it. She believes we are where we need to be in life, and a closed door is an opportunity for another door to open. Finally, she gave the audience tips on how to get to the other side when things may not be where we want (or think) them to be.

  • Embrace the unfavorable emotion.
  • Sit and breathe.
  • Practice appreciation and gratitude with those who surround you.
  • Rebuild your confidence and find fun!
  • Remember this is just a moment in time and that ANYTHING is possible.

If you would like to learn more about Chelsea and how to Flip the Script, her book “Inexplicably Me” is out and available on Amazon.