Are you ready to step into your power?
September 20th, 2017 by Morna
Do you toot your own horn? Or are you like many women – yes, it’s mostly women – who are reluctant to talk about their successes and talents? You probably don’t have any problem talking about the success of your loved ones. Why is it that we have that problem with ourselves?
This has come up over the years and again last week with one of my clients. Sophie was reluctant about sharing her successes with her work on social media. She felt she was bragging and didn’t want to be thought of in “those” terms. I told her she was not alone. Many people, maybe you, feel uncomfortable about promoting themselves, whether that’s in person, on the blog, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. It’s okay to talk about others and share their successes, but we downplay our own. Why? I think it is because you are not ready to step into your own power.
You have gifts that others don’t have. And, I know that you want to share those gifts. That is why you started your creative arts business. You need to share your successes so others can learn about you so that you are able to serve them. It is really about providing a service to your customers, and you cannot do that if you hide your talents.
How do you get beyond this? Here are a few ideas.
Be aware
Pay attention to when you shy away from sharing your gifts or minimizing your talents in public, particularly with those who don’t know you well. Take time to journal, or at least think, about why this is. What does this bring up for you? Do you feel uneasy or queasy? Do remember a past incident that didn’t go well. What would happen if you were bold about your accomplishments. Awareness is the first step to changing.
Work on your mindset
You have an internal message about what you are doing. Perhaps awareness led you to discover what that message was. You can work to switch the message to one that is more positive.
Start small
I’m not suggesting that you get a megaphone and shout from the top of a mountain. Start to put yourself – and your brand – out there in small ways. Take 30 minutes a day and look for ways to contribute. This could be by commenting on someone’s blog, writing your own blog post, pinning to your Pinterest board, sharing something on Instagram or your Facebook Page. It is about taking that first step. And, then the next one.
It gets easier as you go along. And the more people know about you, the more people you can serve with your unique talents.
Inspiration
I am sure you’ve read the following quote from Marianne Williamson. I love this quote and it is pertinent to this discussion:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Your turn!
Why have you been reluctant to share your successes? If you aren’t, how did you get past this?
Tags: accomplishments, awareness, Marianne Williamson, Power, success