I like to think that I have an open mind – and in general I do. But every now and again, I catch myself being surprised because something turned out very different than I had (unconsciously) expected.

For example, in the city where I first earned my doctorate, it was considered “bad form” to tell people that you had a Ph.D. Unless you were going to teach at a university, employers did not want to hire job candidates who had a doctorate. I had one friend who job-hunted for several months with no luck until someone told her to take her Ph.D. off her resume. When she did, she got several job offers within the next few weeks! Another friend told me that never mentioning his Ph.D. was a requirement of his employment.

So I was conditioned to think that having a Ph.D. outside of an academic setting was a “bad thing”. I learned to stop mentioning my degree. I didn’t even hang my diploma on my wall! Instead, I packed it away in a box, lost somewhere in all the piles of stuff I had in my old house.

Then I moved to San Francisco. The first time I had a conversation where I was asked about my education, I mumbled something about having a Ph.D. Those present responded very positively – and I was amazed! So I asked about their response. They said that many people in the Bay Area had doctorates and that here it was perceived as a positive accomplishment, even outside of academia!

So I am learning to take pride in my degree, to include it on my list of credentials, and to use it on my business cards. I still catch myself holding back sometimes, but I have only lived here six months – and this is a big change for me! I haven’t hung my diploma on the wall yet, but I have rescued it from the box it was stored in. And soon it will be hanging in a prominent place on my wall to remind me of my accomplishment and the importance of believing in myself.

Is there some special accomplishment in your life? Something you are proud of that some people have not honored or respected? Don’t let their negative opinions change how you feel about your accomplishments! There will always be both positive and negative responses to what we do. We just need to believe in ourselves – and then find those people who are supportive! Enjoy!