Sally Pymer is deeply passionate about helping people rewrite the stories that stigma, silence, and society often hand them. In this session, Sally shared practical, evidence-based strategies to: Recognise and challenge the subtle messages that create division and self-doubt; Build connection and belonging in everyday life; Use simple, science-backed tools, including the power of a smile to strengthen resilience and protect wellbeing. Drawing on lived experience and over 20 years working alongside people who’ve felt invisible or not enough, Sally brings both the humanity and the science of connection. This presentation is an invitation to stop shrinking, start belonging, and own your own story.
We have choices.
- We can continue to strive for perfection to fit in, never feeling we make it (and often exhausted).
- We can embrace and accept those qualities that make us uniquely us (and often wake up excited ad energentic)
- BUT it doesn't seem easy
Sally Pymer is deeply passionate about helping people rewrite the stories that stigma, silence, and society often hand them. In this session, Sally shared practical, evidence-based strategies to: Recognise and challenge the subtle messages that create division and self-doubt; Build connection and belonging in everyday life; Use simple, science-backed tools, including the power of a smile to strengthen resilience and protect wellbeing. Drawing on lived experience and over 20 years working alongside people who’ve felt invisible or not enough, Sally brings both the humanity and the science of connection. This presentation is an invitation to stop shrinking, start belonging, and own your own story.
We have choices.
- We can continue to strive for perfection to fit in, never feeling we make it (and often exhausted).
- We can embrace and accept those qualities that make us uniquely us (and often wake up excited ad energentic)
- BUT it doesn't seem easy
But how did we get here?
- A society that promotes greed, money and subtle messaging.
- Parents influence
- Media prey on our insecurities
Some things to ask yourself. What do you think when…
- You see someone with holes in their clothes?
- Someone doesn't drink alcohol?
- Someone is not wearing make up?
- You see a female pilot?
- Someone disagrees with you?
- Someone has interests vastly different to yours?
Can you embrace others?
Maybe the first step in embracing yourself is learning to embrace others! They have their own insecurities too and just want to be accepted. Criticising others may say more about you than them! Ouch….but you've been conditioned to think that way.
The truth about belonging.
- You do not need to prove your worth, push through to earn your place in the world.
- The most powerful connections in life are when you allow yourself to be fully seen, imperfections and all.
Practical steps to belonging.
- Self acceptance - you are enough as you are; not when you lose weight, achieve more or when you ‘fix something’.
- Find your people - not everyone will understand you, and that's okay. The right people will see you, love you, celebrate you. Keep looking.
- Be the connection you crave - if you want kindness, offer it; if you want deep conversations, start them. Belonging means making space for others to belong too.
Start with a smile!
- Mood booster - smiling triggers the release of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which help reduce stress and lift your mood.
- Brain feedback loop - even a fake smile sends signals to the brain that you're happy, which can actually create a real sense of calm and positivity.
- Stress reducer - studies show smiling lowers the heart rate and blood pressure during stressful tasks.
- Connection maker - seeing a smile activates the mirror neurons in others' brains, so smiles are literally contagious and build instant rapport.
- Immune support - lower stress hormones and improved mood from smiling can strengthen the immune system over time.
- Longevity link - research from long-term studies suggests people who smile more often then to live longer and healthier lives.
- Smile ripple - a smile allows you and others to be seen and provides a sense of worth and that they matter exactly how they are.
Empowering women and girls.
- Empowering others can be as simple as smiling, accepting and encouraging others as themselves.
- No pressure to wear make up, certain clothes, say certain things.
- Being cheer leaders for others - allows others to cheer lead for you too.
- Smiling may be the simple, most powerful way to empower others and ourselves.