Learn more about the 31-Day Celebrate You! Challenge

There is a difference between modesty and self-deprecation. The former is the absence of pomposity, the latter is self-flagellation. Franky, I think there is enough flagellation going on in the world without you joining the party!

That said, it is a very easy thing to do — undervalue what you are. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “If it is easy for me to do, it assuredly is easy for everyone else to do! I’m not that special.”

But that simply isn’t true.

When I was in elementary school, my teachers often commented on what a good writer I was. I’ve read my stuff from those years — I still have samples in a box somewhere in storage — and I was no Mark Twain! So I wondered for years how they could tell. Were my fellow students’ writing even worse than the drivel I wrote?

And then I got a job in which I had to evaluate the writing of others. I was a manager and hired college-aged people to write profiles of magazine writers and editors for a database. It was during that job that I saw what my teachers must have seen. Candidates for the jobs I hired fell into three categories when it came to writing: No talent whatsoever, talented enough to write decently, and those with that certain spark. Within a simple paragraph about a writer, I could actually see the difference in talent.

It was eye opening.

Today’s quote reminds us that we all have places where we don’t shine. We can’t be good at everything. But we all also have places where we do shine, and those are the places where we need to put our attention. Focus on what you’re good at so that you can grow and nurture your unique talents.

Day 10 Exercise

1. Catch yourself being Awesome at least once today … and celebrate it well.
2. Write a list of three things you are good at. It does not matter if you think these talents are small or inconsequential. Tape this list up somewhere that you will see it often. And, when so inspired, add to the list!
3. Continue to add to your list of what you love about you.

Want Brownie Points? Post something from your list of Awesome in the Facebook Group! And be sure to use the #CelebrateYou hashtag.