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Burning Q&A With Author Elizabeth Benton, Part II of III

In Part II of this three-part series with Elizabeth Benton, author of Chasing Cupcakes, mindset coach, founder of The Dagny Foundation, and host of the Primal Potential podcast, we talk about good mindset mantras, surviving failure, avoiding drama and superpowers. If you enjoy the wisdom she dispenses here, make sure you wish yourself a Happy New Year by treating yourself to a copy of her book or listening to the Primal Potential podcast. If you missed Part I, make sure you catch up! 

Practice makes confident. Love first, then dance. Clear is kind. Changing lives for the better through dancing. Always rising. We have a lot of mantras we use at EDC to keep our goals, values and culture top of mind for everyone in our organization. What are some of the mantras you find yourself using the most to do the same?  

Every choice is a chance.

 

I’m wildly curious about my potential and fiercely determined to create it.

 

Ditch the drama.

 

The ‘how’ can always be figured out.

 

Failing is hard and typically it’s not everyone’s favorite. Have you failed at anything lately? Was it worth it? Why?

Failing is part of growth. I see it as an important part of life (if you aren’t failing, you likely aren’t trying new things, growing and expanding). If I learn from it (and that’s a personal choice), it’s always worth it. I fail every day. I try something new and it doesn’t work, or I work on a new skill and make lots of mistakes. Success has nothing to do with avoiding failure. Success hinges on how you respond to failure.

 

You often talk about making decisions that avoid drama. This has become especially challenging during the pandemic, where we are bombarded with messages that even just meeting a friend for dinner in a restaurant is a life-or-death choice. You talk a lot about asking better questions as a means to making better decisions and avoiding drama. What are your go-to questions you ask yourself when you are feeling insecure, indecisive, unclear or just plain dramatic?   

What have I added to the facts?

What’s the difference between what’s actually happening and how I feel about what’s happening?

 

What is your superpower?

I’d have to say that maybe it’s being intentional and consistent about questioning my own thoughts and assumptions instead of rolling with the same old way I’ve always thought. It helps me grow, learn and overcome obstacles while helping others do the same.