As much as we sit back and pretend we don’t care what others think, to be respected by our family, friends, partners, colleagues and even strangers is a feeling that makes us feel good.

But there’s one particular skill that makes people instantly respect you, and it has nothing to do with what you look like, the bag you’re carrying, the clothes you wear or who you know.

Instead, it’s how you show up for yourself and if you show up for yourself in the same way you expect others to show up for you. Most people hold others to a higher standard than they hold themselves, and then wonder why they’re not taken seriously.

I know, I know. You should be respected no matter what, but unfortunately, that’s not how society works.

So either you wait another century for the world to wake up, or you play the game, win, then use your newfound power to help change it quickly.

In this article, I’ll walk you through why keeping the promises you make to yourself is the ultimate credibility builder, the consequences of following through versus flaking on yourself, and the mental shift that will change the way you operate in every area of your life.

The true title of this article was meant to be...’How To Adopt The Audacity of a White, Middle to Upper Class, Heterosexual Man in a World That Is Telling You To Be Quiet’…

But it was way too long.

Nevertheless, we’ve seen it countless times.

In meetings, on panels, in group chats, in job interviews, these days even at a damn Pilates class.

He shows up, he’s not that good…In fact he’s not good at all.

Underqualified, overconfident, and even if he is a bit nervous, it’s not because of his gender and definitely not because of his race.

He’s there, taking up space, not because he’s the best, it’s because deep down, there is no reason for him to feel as though he doesn’t belong.

No matter where he is, the world has been designed so that he can move freely like an aged-over-60 London pensioner with a freedom pass (and even they have restrictions).

And because he moves so brazenly and believes in his own sauce, the world believes him too.

Now, compare that to you.

You are brilliant, intelligent, vivacious, fun, full of ideas, and I’d go as far as to say a genius.

But you tiptoe around your ideas, you stutter when describing your dreams, you water your voice down to sound less authoritative.

You preface your excellence with “just a quick thought” or “I’m not an expert but…”

And what do you get in return? Glanced over, looked past or sometimes just completely ignored.

You may even have had the same audacity you courageously exercised weaponised against you.

But no more.

In this article, we’re going to break down the various ways to embody an unshakeable audacity without losing either your softness or sharpness.

We need more women who aren’t afraid to lead with presence, speak up with conviction, and stop waiting for permission.

We’re the most powerful piece on the chessboard. Are you ready to make the next move?

Let me start with something that might rattle your vision board straight off of your wall:

The last thing I ever want you to do is work toward your goals.

Sounds wild.

And you’re probably thinking, “Is this Patrice? The woman who claims she’s helping women worldwide become to the best version of themselves? And now she’s telling us to ditch our goals?”

Yes, it’s me. And no, I don’t want you to ditch your goals, but I do want you to redirect your approach….

We’ve been spoon-fed the hustle, the five-year plans and the idea that delayed gratification will eventually reward us with the life we want.

And while these concepts are important to know, what you’re not being told is…

Working towards your goal is often the very thing keeping it out of reach.

Don’t get me wrong, having goals is important. After all, they are your north star. They give you a target. They pull you out of the noise and give you a reason to keep going.

Of course, our goals are sacred.

But what I’m about to reveal might just flip the entire script inside out.

There comes a point in every transformation where the Pinterest vision board are no longer enough, the self-love quotes aren’t quite hitting the same, and the to-do list feels pointless. It’s at this point you realise you need an actual system that rewires how you see yourself, how you think, and how you move through your world.

This is why I created The Femme Fatale Framework.

Now I know the title sounds like an outdated trope of a woman seducing her way through life, but that concept couldn’t be further from this modern and empowering new way of thinking. The Femme Fatale Framework is about remembering your own power, one which cannot be faked, bought or imitated.

It’s about being rooted in your truth, clear in your vision, magnetic in your presence and unstoppable in your energy.

So here’s what the framework is, and why it changes everything.