Your Presence is Everything…

What does a typical female look like in the fire service?

I can think of a hundred different answers to that question, but that’s not what I mean here. Let’s look at it in a different light. Someone walks into a room, head hung, shoulders weighing a thousand pounds, not making eye contact, and quietly saying hello. This picture does not make you want to go talk to this person, to meet them, to get to know them, and more importantly to trust them. 

The next person walks in, head up, chin high, shoulders back, and with a smile. This person approaches and confidently shakes hands, makes eye contact, proudly introduces themselves. That’s the one people are drawn to.

This picture should always be in the back of your mind, no matter what is going on in your life. Your sense of presence is what people think of when they think of you. You WILL run into negative people throughout your career, people that don’t trust you, don’t want you around, and people that just aren’t ready to accept females in the fire service. This is not your problem, and not something for you to fix for them. I am a very small and petite female. I never really think about this fact. I once had someone tell me “you are small in stature, yet large in presence.” That is a statement I’ll never forget. 

Your job is to be you. Learn your job, be great at it, and be you. Your responses to things that cross your path is everything. How you handle it, how you respond, and how you consistently present yourself is what people will remember. We are all human, if you fall you get back up. Finally, never forget why you got into this job. Remember your purpose, and keep those cards close to your heart.