I was recently asked which business women I admire. And, one of the first who came to mind was Trisha Yearwood.  She’s an accomplished country singer, TV host of her own show, cookbook author, step mom, and much more. As dynamic, prolific, and successful as she is, what stands out the most about her for me is how she makes me – – and I believe, many others – – feel when you see her in action. It’s like a feeling of “being at home.”

Why does that even matter? Well, I think the way she makes people feel is the secret to her success. We’ve probably all heard that people don’t remember exactly what you say, but they do remember how you make them feel.  When I watch her cooking show, Trisha Yearwood makes me feel like I’m hanging out with my girlfriend. She’s approachable, mindful, authentic, and silly.  I love all of these things about my real-life girlfriends, too!

She’s obviously also smart and talented (like my real-life friends). So, when I had the opportunity to meet her, I made sure to tell her just how she makes me feel. And, I could tell she loved hearing it. Here is a picture of our meeting after I told her and got a big hug from her. (I didn’t see everyone else get a hug:-)

I also expressed how wonderful I think it is that she includes her friends and family on her TV show since I also value those relationships in my life. She also has her husband on the show occasionally, so I let her know “seems like Garth is nice, too.” (She’s married to famous country singer Garth Brooks.)

Ultimately, what’s so inspirational about her is that she’s being true to herself in the careers she’s chosen to pursue and how authentic she is when it comes to her brand reflecting her true nature. The best part…being her true self = many admirers. It’s a win win. So, she reminds me to be true to myself, let that come through in every aspect of my life, and not to worry about being some perfect version of a friend, coach, daughter. The people in my life will just remember how I made them feel.

How do you want people to feel after being with you? What is one small change you can make to shine more of your authentic self in the world? Try it and see what gets reflected back to you? Maybe an adoring fan will show up to hug you:-)