Soft Is Strong: How Taking a Softer Approach Can Have a Powerful Impact on Your Career
NIVEA is leading the charge in challenging the “soft” stereotype.
This post is in paid partnership with Nivea.
Being soft gets a bad rap and is all too often associated with being weak, especially in the workplace. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by NIVEA, 59% of people view "being soft" as a negative and 49% of people define the word "soft" as being "weak." That’s why NIVEA—a brand that’s been dedicated to giving us all soft, beautifully nourished skin for over 100 years—is on a mission to challenge this negative perception of 'being soft' with their #RethinkSoft campaign. That’s right, in partnership with Kindness.org, NIVEA is destigmatizing softness.
At our annual LA 2020 conference, we sat down with successful women who, like NIVEA, are challenging the negative perception of soft and celebrating its power. During the Soft Is Strong panel powered by NIVEA, our founder, Jaclyn Johnson, chatted with Noor Tagouri, renowned journalist, activist, and motivational speaker, Jaclyn Lindsey, co-founder and CEO of Kindness.org, Adrienne Bosh, activist, CEO, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, and Gina Ybarra, creator of Hunt for Styles, about how softness has had positive, long-lasting impacts on their careers.
Spoiler alert: The conversation was just as enlightening as it was entertaining, so be sure to scroll on for all the most memorable moments from the conversation. Trust us, you’re going to want to commit these mic-drop quotes to memory.
Soft Is Strong: How Taking a Softer Approach Can Be Positive and Have a Powerful Impact on Your Career—Powered by Nivea
Panelists:
Noor Tagouri | Rethink Soft Storyteller, Journalist, Touring Speaker and Entrepreneur
Jaclyn Lindsey | Co-Founder & CEO, Kindness.org
Adrienne Bosh | CEO, Activist, Philanthropist, & Entrepreneur
Gina Ybarra | Content Creator, Hunt for Styles
Moderator:
Jaclyn Johnson | Founder & CEO, Create & Cultivate
On leading with kindness…
“When you are leading in a kind capacity, you are more respected. There is an effect on employee engagement and wellbeing when you lead with kindness.” - Jaclyn Lindsey
On positivity on social media…
“I like to share positivity and good energy because I believe it comes back to us.” - Adrienne Bosh
On navigating negativity on social media…
“I see the negative comments as a positive thing.” - Gina Ybarra
“It’s about understanding that there is another person on the other end of the screen.” - Noor Tagouri
“We have to learn how to lean into compassion.” - Noor Tagouri
On not letting negativity in…
“What people say about you is none of your business.” - Noor Tagouri
“Our opinions do not define other people.” - Noor Tagouri
On being vulnerable on social media…
“I like to share vulnerable, tough moments because I think, to inspire people, they need to be able to see themselves in your pain to see themselves in your success.” - Adrienne Bosh
On taking a soft approach in the boardroom…
“I’ve had to let many people go over my career. I was encouraged to show no compassion. It was awful for me. I told my HR department that I won’t do this anymore, and I need to do this with softness and compassion.” - Jaclyn Lindsey
On strength…
“Use what makes you vulnerable as your strength” - Noor Tagouri
On a strength that’s seen as a weakness…
“I am extremely patient and my blood runs slow. People think it's a bad thing, but I just try to think before I talk so I don’t hurt anyone.” - Gina Ybarra
On the power of storytelling…
“Different people see themselves in my story, and I am able to soften their hearts by being myself” - Noor Tagouri
On adding softness to the world...
“We have to frame softness into an image of strength.” - Noor Tagouri
Learn more about the Nivea Rethink Soft campaign and shop their popular product categories across Nivea Body Care, Creme, Lip, and Body Wash products.
Photography: Smith House Photo
2020 Vision: How 4 Women Are Approaching Wellness in the New Decade
Self-care isn’t just a buzz word.
This post is in paid partnership with iHerb.
It’s hard to believe that a decade ago, Google search interest in “self-care” was at its lowest. Now, the most popular buzz word of 2019 is feeling, well, a little burnt out. Ironic, isn’t it? But just because the word is a little overused, doesn’t mean the physical act of it is. In fact, self-care has largely contributed to the wellness market boom which is now valued at a whopping $4.2 trillion, having grown 12.8% in the last two years. And it’s not just outside of work either. The global corporate wellness market is also estimated to reach $66 billion in 2022 because news flash: healthier workers are more productive. Who knew?
Thanks to more people choosing to pursue activities that promote physical and mental well-being, self-care is now being seen as a form of necessary healthcare and not a selfish behavior as it was once viewed in the past. After all, if you don’t put your oxygen mask on first, you can’t help others.
But it’s not always easy to find the time and wellness can be expensive. iHerb understands the challenges that come with navigating the winding road of wellness. That’s why they provide wellness solutions for all the key aspects of your life, including supplements and vitamins, sports nutrition, herbs and homeopathy, and self-care essentials like skincare and body care, at prices we can all afford.
We partnered with iHerb for our 2020 Vision panel at the recent Los Angeles Conference and asked four women—Britney Vest, Dr. Deepika Chopra, Lauren Kleban, and Kirbie Johnson—to share their thoughts on wellness in the new decade.
Read on to hear some major realness from the conversation and be sure to comment below to share your thoughts on wellness in 2020, too.
2020 Vision: A Conversation on Wellness in the New Decade Powered by iHERB
On body positivity…
“For me, body positivity is truly learning to love yourself every day exactly as you are in this moment” - Britney Vest
“The movement has really blown up, but there is still so much to be done.” - Britney Vest
On weight loss and body positivity...
“They can exist together, it is not a bad thing to want to improve and want to change.” - Britney Vest
On work as self-care…
“Work, for me, is self-care. It makes me feel valued and valuable.” - Kirbie Johnson
On taking work home...
“You're devaluing yourself because you are only paid to work from 9 to 5.” - Kirbie Johnson
On change in the beauty industry...
“We’re switching from, ‘You need this to look beautiful,’ to, ‘This will make you feel good or will help someone in need.’” - Kirbie Johnson
On partnering with brands authentically...
“No matter what it is, I typically only work with brands that I already have in my home that I am already using that I am authentically connected to.” - Britney Vest
On wellness on social media…
“Being able to celebrate yourself on social media is so important.” - Britney Vest
On improving…
“Remember: It is not a bad thing to want to improve yourself and want to change.” - Britney Vest
On not taking on too much...
“The way you can achieve wellness is by realizing that you can’t do everything at once.” - Dr. Deepika Chopra
On being an optimist…
“Being an optimist doesn’t mean skipping around fields or always having a perfect day, it’s about being someone that sees setbacks as temporary and knowing you have the power to overcome them.” - Dr. Deepika Chopra
On mental health…
“I learned very quickly to keep blinders on—don’t be in a position where you compare yourself to others.” - Lauren Kleban
“We have our physical health and our mental health to take care of. It's what makes us all human.” - Dr. Deepika Chopra
