7 confidence lessons from Ashley Graham that every professional needs to hear

7 confidence lessons from Ashley Graham that every professional needs to hear7 confidence lessons from Ashley Graham that every professional needs to hearAnyone whos remotely familiar with Ashley Graham knows that the 31-year-old model oozes confidence out of every one of zu sich perfect pores. One glance at her podcast, Pretty Big Deal, proves that.Graham spoke about her career and confidence at the Create Cultivate New York conference presented by Mastercard with founder Jaclyn Johnson. Ladders was there to capture Grahams advice on how to make confidence a part of your daily life.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraAshley Graham says to keep telling yourself youre brilliant until you never even question itBefore a big meeting, Graham will take a moment to remind herself to be confident.Right before I walk out of the bathroom, I look at myself. Im like, You are fine. You are bril liant, and you are beautiful and bold, she said.As it turns out, Grahams current unwavering confidence actually comes from a place of insecurity. Graham explained that she didnt always feel like she was brilliant, beautiful, and bold.I didnt believe it, you guys. I didnt. I didnt understand it. I didnt know why I was worthy to have anything I had, she admitted.By continuously telling herself that she deserved it all, she was able to get to a point where she feels that way every single day.I ingrained it in me. I made it part of my DNA, and now I could whip through any kind of day and know that Ive got that because thats a part of who I am, Graham said.Ashley Graham talks about money and so should youTraditional stereotypes of models paint a picture of a girl whos values lie almost entirely on the outside, with not much going on in her head. Graham and other models, like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (who founded her own digital startup company), are proving that stereotype absolutely wr ong.At the beginning of Grahams career, she would ask models how much they were getting paid for each gig they did. Six years ago, Graham and four other models realized they were all making vastly different amounts of money.We built a whole portfolio based off of how much money we each made and what the plus sized industry was going to do, and how it was going to take off in the next six years, Graham said. These agents were so blown away.By knowing their worth within their industry, the models were able to negotiate fairer pay. Dont be afraid to ask close peers how much theyre making. You might even be helping them out by finding a pay disparity.You can have those conversations because theres nothing wrong about building each other up and talking about how much youre making so that we can all grow up together, Graham said. It is a hard conversation to have.Ashley Graham said dont be afraid to talk about diversityGraham knows that while shes the current face of curvy bodies, women o f color have been embracing their voluptuous figures for generations. Graham acknowledges her white face and demands that diversity isnt something we ignore in regards to this issue.I was talking to Bozoma Saint John and she said, Dont just hide something behind the big D word. Say what you want. Talk about it, Graham said. Thats what we need to be doing.Sometimes Ashley Graham educate the haters, and sometimes she ignores themI want the younger girls to know that you should be standing up for yourself, Graham said. You should be able to say, No, I wanted to wear that, or I dont know why youre talking to me like that. Thank you very much. Have a good day. I blocked you.Sometimes she takes the opportunity to turn hate into teachable moments. Instead of getting upset, shell start a genuine conversation with a hater.Other times, Graham decides its just not worth the time or energy. I do love to block people, Graham said. Ooh, I do. My new thing is muting peoples Instagram stories.Grah am admits that she couldnt do it aloneWhile Graham isnt afraid to take credit for working hard to get where she is today, shes also the first to admit that many ventures wouldnt have been possible without her team. When discussing products that she develops, she revealed that she loves the ability to customize pieces and change the aspects that bother her. That being said, the business success is a credit to the awesome people around her.Theres nobody who has succeeded and who has been absolutely incredible without a team with them, Graham said. So if you feel like youre alone and you feel like, I cant do this alone, youre right. You cant. Find a business partner. Find someone whos your confidant, a mentor, whatever. Ask for help.Ashley Graham sets aside me timeThe one thing that really keeps me centered is waking up and having 15 minutes of quiet timewhether its prayer, meditation, readingjust knowing that thats my time, Graham said. Its not my agents time. Its not my husbands time . Its not the worlds time. Its not my followers time. Its my time.Ashley Graham takes ownership of her bodyWhile Graham is the token plus-size model in the fashion world, she doesnt allow her body to be used in any way that she doesnt approve of. I know that my body isnt a trend, Graham said.While magazines will try to convince you to go on a crazy diet, and social media tells you that your body should look a certain way, Graham begs that you ignore that. This is truly your own journey, Graham said.Part of Grahams larger-than-life confidence comes from her emphasis on health. t doesnt matter what size or shape you are, you can be healthy, Graham said. Its about getting up off the couch, moving your body, choosing healthy options, and knowing that your body is yours, Graham said. Nobody else has ownership over it.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people