Dr. Corrine Devin – One of these things is not like the other.
Orthodontist. Naval commander. Beauty queen.
One of these things is not like the other. In fact, each of them seem to be exclusively unique. But my recent podcast guest Corinne Devin has found a way to braid them beautifully into a rich, full life. A wonderful display of resilience.
A highlight for me of getting to know Corinne better is how her internal drive really is the foundation for her remarkable triad of achievement. A strong component of this foundation is her family; her father is also in the Navy and a dentist. However, he neither enters nor wins beauty pageants. Corrine is a powerful example of how familiarity with circumstances during our upbringing drives or propels us down a similar road.
Her father was in the Navy and she entered the Navy. Her father worked on teeth and mouth and so does she. As we think about resilience in learning to be or fortifying our resilience, this is a great example of the power of people in our life to influence the direction and shape of our lives.
“I was told no often, but I was also told yes.”
When Corrine said this I thought it was a wonderful comment. It shows real experience in success by acknowledging the perseverance it takes to move through the no’s we hear. Additionally, a smart, insightful notice that all of us hear yes, and that yes generates gratitude and most importantly the opportunity to ACT on the yes.
“If you want to go faster, work with a master.”
This sums up the entire coaching industry. Much of the speed Corrine eludes to is the simple avoidance of dead-ends and wrong thinking.
During our discussion of the 5-3-1 Plan for Building Resilience, I asked her if it was her Inner Circle, Communities, or Core Belief that she had leaned on the most recently during the Covid-19 pandemic. She quickly identified that she had leaned on the communities in her life most during this trying time and in a fascinating way her communities revolve around the three unique areas of her life: orthodontistry, military service, and beauty pageants.
She said that those three communities have sustained and fortified her during the pandemic. Specifically she mentioned the Navy being a tremendous source of support and stability. Fascinating that she identified camaraderie as the common element between orthodontistry, pageantry, and the Navy.
It was surprising to learn that the community in and around pageants was listed as a strong support community. A community that she participated in, invested in, and harvested from. I think that speaks to the shared experience in activities that require real preparation, discipline, and courage. Those are powerful experiences to share.
Specifically, there is great vulnerability in the pageant world. One literally is putting yourself out there in different outfits. Sometimes the clothes are more vulnerable than others, like a bathing suit. Other times the vulnerability comes from your answers to significant questions. In these contests you’re getting judged constantly. I don’t think any of us love that experience and when I think of it like that it seems much more like tough-minded competition than the stereotypical pictures of wearing a swimsuit.
I certainly learned a lot in our conversation and came to admire those participants. This is doubly true for Corrine because she not only enters the contests, but she wins them. Impressive.
The major take away I have from my conversation with Corrine Devin is this: What at first glance seems like an odd combination of activities and achievements is, upon further inspection, a display of great discipline, tremendous courage, and powerful willingness to be vulnerable.
Those three traits or abilities [discipline, courage and vulnerability] really do drive resilience. Resilience does take discipline; it does benefit from courage. And the heart of resilience is having in developing relationships with individuals, groups, and potentially the Almighty. Relationships, if they are to grow and thrive, depend on our being taken out of our comfort zone and embracing vulnerability.
What I found in getting to know Corrine is that she is a fantastic example of vulnerability; it’s based on discipline and courage.
When I look at Corrine’s combination of activities it’s true that many of those things are not like the others. But upon closer inspection the traits and strengths that Corrine brings are what really bind them together. She’s the glue that makes them all work.
Listen to her Podcast now!