The Business of Being You: Embracing Your Inner Duck

I want to share with you a simple yet profound piece of advice that has stuck with me since childhood. It’s a lesson I learned from my father, a man of wisdom and wit, a MENSA genius, who had a knack for offering life lessons in the most unexpected moments.

We were driving past a local pond, and my young eyes caught sight of Mallard ducks gracefully gliding across the water. In that moment, my father turned to me and said, “You see how the duck sticks his head in the water and pulls it out? The water rolls right off, and he stays dry and just keeps going.”

At that tender age of 7, I didn’t fully grasp the depth of his words. But as the years unfolded, the wisdom of being a “duck” in life became crystal clear.

“Be like the duck,” he continued. “Let things that bother you, the names your brother calls you, when kids at school tease you—let all that roll right off you like the water on a duck. The duck always stays dry.”

He even affectionately called me “Ducky” after that conversation, a nickname that carried the weight of his lesson.

Now, you might wonder, what does being a duck have to do with the business of being you? Well, let me tell you—it’s everything.

In both personal and professional realms, we encounter situations and individuals who might ruffle our feathers. As women, especially, we often find ourselves navigating emotional waters, where every comment, critique, or conflict threatens to unsettle us.

But here’s the thing: to truly thrive, to forge ahead on our life paths with purpose and determination, we must embrace our inner duck.

I know countless men, including my father, who have weathered storms of workplace animosity, yet remained steadfast in their focus. They let the negativity roll off them like water off a duck’s back, leaving it behind when they walked out of the office doors.

It’s a powerful lesson in resilience and self-preservation. It’s about prioritizing our goals, dreams, and well-being above the noise of external distractions. It’s about not letting them take you off your path.

Can you be a duck for the sake of your life path? Can you cultivate the ability to let go of what doesn’t serve you, to remain undisturbed by the petty grievances and conflicts that come your way? Can you keep your eye on the prize?

It’s not about ignoring legitimate concerns or turning a blind eye to injustice. It’s about choosing our battles wisely, conserving our energy for pursuits that truly matter, and refusing to let negativity seep into our souls. It’s about not letting someone bait us into negativity, this negativity never serves anyone.

So, my dear readers, I invite you to channel your inner duck this week. Let the waters of life roll off you, and remember: you have the power to stay dry, focused, and unyielding in your pursuit of greatness.

With feathers unruffled and hearts set ablaze with determination, let’s navigate this week with the grace and resilience of the mighty duck. And hey, I know it is not easy, I am a Jersey girl, biting my tongue has been a life long learning lesson.

Until next time, stay buoyant, stay dry, and keep soaring. YOU GOT THIS!!

Warm regards,

Marelle Couture

*Weekly Shiz Nit: Be vocal about what you do, even the hobbies you are really good at. You never know, you just never know. I knew a very talented woman that taught haircoloring for Schwarzkopf to salons all over the North East. She came to me for business advice and I encouraged her to tell her employers about the makeup she did for weddings and the photo shoots she had worked on. Well, she did just that , and 3 weeks later she was back stage at Betsy Johnson’s fashion show in NYC doing the models makeup. True Story