One of my clients, Cory, was going into a session with a really high-profile client of hers... and old patterns were creeping in. Deferring. Shrinking. Over-accommodating to keep the peace instead of standing in her own authority.
Instead, she showed up as herself. Fully. She walked in wearing her Air Jordans and just... danced. No apologizing for taking up space.
And it completely shifted the dynamic. He met her as an equal. Respected her more, not less. And it's opened the door to a real opportunity for her business.
This is exactly how it works. When you regulate your nervous system and stop performing for approval, people don't respect you less — they respect you more. That's the whole foundation of what I teach in the Connection Code book: your presence is the thing that changes the room, not your performance.