When you minimize your strengths

Do you find yourself minimizing a compliment you get about a skill you have that doesn't seem like that big a deal?

Do you find yourself pining for different strengths - more hard charging ones? More masculine ones? More feminine ones? 

Do you hide your strengths because they may appear too feminine? too masculine? too right brained? too left brained?

Do you "no big deal" your strengths?

• Your humor?
• Your thoughtfulness?
• Your logic?
• Your ability to meet a stranger with ease?
• Your ability to see through bull shit and get to the bottom line?
• Your way of collaborating?
• How you can add all those numbers in your head with little effort? 
• Your gift of initiating difficult conversations? 
• How you can almost feel what another feels just by observing them? 
• Your integrity? 
• Your no nonsense approach?
• How you dream big and create visions for yourself and team? 
• How you'd "never leave a man on the field." - your care and commitment to your colleagues?

Just because something comes easily to you does not mean it isn't a super power. And, all super powers are needed. All of them.

And, because there is a shadow side to strengths (Being too empathic, being too responsible, being too helpful,. being too direct)  We sometimes only focus on the downside of our strength and not the upside. 

I was recently in conversation with a client who was embarrassed by her strengths. She didn't think they were valuable in the professional world. She found them too "soft." Maybe she's been binging Suits too long... 

When we find ourselves minimizing, judging, downplaying, hiding our strengths we are climbing up a steep mountain with no equipment. We are making life very very hard on ourselves.

Likewise, when you choose a role that does not allow you to contribute any of your strengths you are creating unnecessary hardship for yourself. 

I work with women to help them identify their strengths, then embrace them and find roles (not industries) that need, welcome, and celebrate them. 

If you are ready to step into all of your youness, to put your cape on and screen print your strengths on your tshirt, book a free one hour chat with me to share them.  I am not okay with how often we downplay ourselves, second guess ourselves, judge ourselves, because we are confused about our own power, our own abilities, our own waiting contributions.

What would you say is your most natural super power?
Are you using it daily in your professional life? 
If not, why?