I have often said that I became an entrepreneur kicking and screaming. The same can be said of leadership.

Even as a child, I did entrepreneurial things. And, for some reason I have yet to fathom, people just seem to follow me as if I know what I’m doing.

The Leo in me loves the attention … but the Virgo is quite uncomfortable with it all. (I’m a Virgo on the cusp of Leo.) But, no matter how I try to stay in the background, I always seem to be thrust into, pushed into or drawn toward activities that require me to flex leadership muscles.

As a speaker, a vocation I feel called to, one is naturally a leader. People respect and look up to speakers … doesn’t matter if the person up there has the skills or not. I’ve talked about this before in a video. (See below.)

Yesterday, I got reluctantly thrust into yet another leadership position. Currently, I’m serving a 1-year term as an Area Governor in Toastmasters. This is one of several goals I need to accomplish to earn my Advanced Leader Silver award, one-half of the Distinguished Toastmaster award. As a group, District 1 officers are forming a special Toastmasters club devoted to helping district leaders fulfill their duties and grow as leaders. I had no intention of joining … I already belong to two clubs and will be working to create a couple more over the coming year. I just don’t have the time. But, I got roped in anyway.

And since one foot was already there, I volunteered to be the club’s Vice President of Public Relations. With more than 20 years of marketing and PR under my belt, that officer role is the most comfortable for me.

Now how does this story relate to my daily celebration?

My goal as a person, and as the Own Your Awesome in Business and Life Coach, is to fully step into my power, to own my Awesome and to be a role model for those who want to live up to their genius potential, as well. This means I need to recognize and honor all of me, even the parts that make me uncomfortable. In fact, especially those parts that make me uncomfortable. Whether I like it or not, I’ve been called to be a leader … and exercising those leadership muscles in my business, in Toastmasters, and in my life is how I answer that call and become comfortable with who I was meant to be.

Celebrating you is sometimes about acknowledging parts of you that you have avoided or not fully recognized or honored. Often, those parts of us scare us or make us feel ashamed. Why is that? Well, for me, I’ve gotten in the habit over time of dimming my light for fear of outshining those around me who I care about. But the truth is, you can never outshine someone who is shining at their full potential. And you are not responsible for how brightly others decide to shine. Your responsibility is to be the brightest light you can be.

And that, my friend, is what I’ve been working on for the past couple of years. This month-long celebration exercise helps you do that. It not only helps you recognize your brilliance and let it shine, but also helps you recognize brilliance you may not have known you had.

How did you celebrate you yesterday? Did you honor a part of yourself that you have neglected? Have you said “yes” to opportunities that will help you reach your goals? Please share your celebrations, insights and wisdom in a comment below.

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