“ Stop waiting to be enough before you  step into what God has already called you to do.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession continues the Stand Tall in Your Story series with Michelle Clendenning, Executive Director of Self-Directed Living Supports at Opportunities for Positive Growth. Michelle shares how receiving a pageant’s Miss Congeniality award instead of the crown she wanted as a teenager became a lifelong reminder of her gift for connection, warmth, and making others feel included.

Drawing from Michelle’s story, neuroscience, scripture, and leadership insight, Rebecca explores how performance and external approval keep our nervous systems activated, while presence, service, and faith create safety. This episode invites listeners to stop proving, start serving, and recognize the gifts that may have been there all along.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why chasing approval keeps your nervous system stuck in anxiety
• How connection and presence can become a powerful leadership gift
• Why faith, stillness, and self awareness help you step into who you were created to be

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:55) The title she didn’t expect

(06:10) Loss, longing, and God’s timing

(08:43) Stepping into leadership with faith

(12:01) Three tensions to notice

(16:54) The gap between appearing and feeling

(20:10) The gift she almost missed

(23:28) Connection as a leadership gift

(27:06) Serving instead of proving

Connect with Michelle:

Explore Opportunities for Positive Growth: https://www.opgrowth.com/ 

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

Watch all of the Season 7 Stand Tall in Your Story talks here: https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/stand-tall