Two Piers Digest 💫 - The Building Blocks of Confidence 🧱
Hello, First name / friend,
It’s hard to believe we’re already approaching the end of July. These summer months sure do fly by. Whether you're leaning into a slower pace or juggling mid-year goals, we’ve pulled together a few thought-starters to fuel your leadership, creativity, and well-being.
In today's digest:
Coaches' Corner 🧭: The Building Blocks of Confidence 🧱
What We’re Reading 📚: Confidence and Self-Compassion
The Podcast 🔊: Preventing Burnout and Seeking Adventure!
Where to Find Us 🗺️: Napping 💤
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Confidence isn’t always loud. And potential doesn’t always show up on schedule. This series explores how our perceptions (of ourselves and others) can either constrain or unleash performance, and what it actually takes to cultivate trust, competence, and capability.
🔹 Part 1: There Will Be Cats! Lessons from the foster kitties: hesitation isn't always a lack of confidence, and how safety, curiosity, and time can reveal potential that might otherwise be overlooked.
🔹 Part 2: Against Faking It Why “fake it till you make it” can backfire, and how real confidence is built through evidence, preparation, and a supportive environment.
🔹 Part 3: Coming Next Week! We'll examine how perception influences performance—drawing on research that shows the measurable impact of others’ expectations, including peers, leaders, and even ourselves.
Catch up on Parts 1 and 2, and stay tuned for the final installment.
📚 The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance, by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.
While written with a gender lens, this research-based book offers valuable insight for anyone looking to understand how confidence is built and why it often shows up differently across individuals. It’s a practical read not only for building your own confidence, but also for learning how to better support the confidence of others, whether you're raising kids, mentoring emerging leaders, or managing a team.
📚 Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, by Dr. Kristin Neff.
This insightful, research-grounded book is a classic amongst coaches. It explores the transformative impact of treating ourselves with the same kindness and understanding we’d offer a friend and offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help us move beyond self-criticism, reduce stress, and build authentic confidence. Ideal reading for anyone navigating personal or professional challenges, it also offers powerful guidance for supporting others, whether you're coaching, parenting, mentoring, or leading.
Note: We link to Bookshop.org using affiliate links because they support not just our work, but also local bookshops.
We’ve got two powerful episodes this month that explore what it really takes to lead with clarity, creativity, and courage:
🌟 Marissa Alert, PhD — Clinical psychologist and behavior change expert Dr. Marissa Alert joins us to talk about burnout, boundaries, and the science behind sustainable well-being. If you’re looking to tackle burnout at a systemic level, this conversation is packed with practical insights and research-backed strategies.
🌍 Ben Keller — Award-winning filmmaker Ben Keller shares his winding path from sculpture to music to video production—and how embracing uncertainty has shaped his creative process. We also discuss his new documentary project, Rooted Journeys, exploring sustainable tourism and its impact on local communities.
Yeah, yeah. We said more time floating on the river, but the truth is that it's been head-down study time over here, prepping for the ICF PCC Exam. 🙇🏻♀️ But the great news is that's done (and passed) and maybe now it's time for some R&R…
For those that aren't familiar with the ICF credentialing process, this PCC has been the culmination of nearly five years of effort, with 500+ hours of coaching, 150+ hours of “classroom training,” 20+ hours of mentor coaching, numerous assessed coaching transcripts, and a 3-hour proctored exam with 78 situational judgement scenarios.
It's definitely time to savor a little spaciousness! We're still happily working with our Two Piers coaching and consulting clients, but keeping the event commitments light until the autumn. 🍂
It's gelato season in our neck of the woods. What are you doing to stay cool and comforted? 🍨🍦🍧
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Erica and the Two Piers Team
PO Box 554 Woolwich, Maine 04579-9998, United States
