I think many don’t know that a significant part of passing has to do with attitude and behaviors. In the past, when I’ve said things to coach others, I’ve reminded people to try to avoid being self-conscious and fidgety. Stop adjusting your clothes every few minutes. Stop looking around to see who is looking at you, etc. It all has to do with the anxiety of the situation and being unsure, but it is one of those things where you have to Fake It Until You Make It.
I do have to laugh at myself sometimes. I carry a backpack to haul my “stuff” around: iPad, iPhone, keys, car fob, lotion, tissues, extra masks, glasses, sunglasses, pens, driver’s license, credit cards, pocket knife, bottle opener and lipstick. I carry the backpack (I have several leather ones that I’ve bought over Etsy over the years) because I carry a cane and it helps to have one hand free. However, the laughter comes in when I’m rummaging through the backpack in order to find the fob. A woman going through her bag searching for something is such a stereotypical event.
Again, time is required to settle into this new reality. It doesn’t happen overnight. It is a Work In Progress…
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