Fearless. Determined. Musical. Kind.
These are all words that I have heard used to describe me by friends, family and colleagues over the years.
I have never been particularly good at being able to break myself down to a few adjectives and even worse at ‘tooting my own horn’. A sad reality is that it’s often far easier to know your weakness and what you need to improve versus bragging about the wonderful things about you. I know that I am guilty of that.
Before setting out to write this piece I decided that I would consult with two of my closest friends, one of whom is a former colleague, to get their take on what makes me stand out from the crowd. After all, I could come up with all the words I wanted but what I really needed to know is what I was putting out to the world. How do others see me.
“Honesty. You see the B.S out there and you’re never afraid to call it out.”
“I’ve always liked getting your perspective on issues because you see the big picture. You consider all the angles before offering advice or a solution. You also have great hair but I’m not sure if that would help you get a job.”
Getting that feedback definitely put a little spring in my step. Who doesn’t like hearing all the good things about themselves from the people who matter the most to them.
I sat down with all the words written in front of me and really considered why people saw those qualities in me.
It was interesting that as I really dug into those descriptors, I realized that I did see all of them in myself but I had taken the negative view.
They saw my solo move to a new province with no safety net as fearless, I thought it could be viewed as reckless. They saw knowing what I want and going after it as determined, I wondered if it could come across as pushy.
Then I started wondering why was I so concerned about people seeing that in me? Why do we spend so much time trying to craft these perfect images to the world. Worrying that the parts that make us, us, are somehow barriers or off putting. It’s our mistakes and flaws that build who we are and make us interesting.
Maybe I am a little pushy or reckless at times, but that means I’m not afraid to take chances or put in hard work to get a job done. I am loud and passionate, maybe to a fault at times, but I will always stand up and speak out for what I believe in. I’m fiercely loyal and will always be honest, even when what needs to be said is tough to hear, because I know it’s the right thing to do.
This assignment has been a great exercise in self-reflection. Turning what we think of as imperfections into what make us stand out.
Algonquin College Social Media Certificate Program 