Celebrating You

I was a slated spotlight speaker at one of my monthly networking groups today. As I thought about what I wanted to say, I realized that trying to explain what I do is pretty darn difficult to do in 10 minutes. It's not that I can't give an elevator speech, because I can. The problem is that my job as a coach is different with each client.

Some clients need specific marketing help, others need encouragement to pick up the phone, still others need to find their "perfect" balance between being a mom and a business owner. They are all at different stages, with different goals and different needs. When I do my job, I adapt to where they are and we walk from there.

So I decided to boil it down to what my clients DO have in common: as women, we are loathe to sing our own praises. It makes us uncomfortable, exposed even. We encourage our children, spouses, friends, employees and everyone else in our worlds to show their greatness. But when pressed, we are so much more comfortable singing the praises of others than we are tooting our own horns.

So I challenged the amazing women in this group to start their very own "brag book". Not something to show off to others, but a place to collect pieces that refuel our fire. A collection of 'things' that remind us, when we forget, how amazing we really are. So-called 'brag books' are sometimes encouraged in job searches as a way to visually show potential employers what sets us apart from all the others applying for the same position. But why save it until we're waiting for someone else to look at it? It matters that we awknowledgte our brilliance, too. Doesn't it?

Think about the last time you defined yourself as an asset rather than a commodity. If you're like most women I know, you introduce yourself as 'someone else's something'. Me? I'm Adam/Nicholas/Erin's mom, Stan's daughter, Brenna's sister....I don't say "Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm a dreamer, a doer, a big thinker." People would think I'm crazy, no? Doesn't make it any less true, though. And that's what a brag book reminds me of when I am feeling down and I forget.

I fill mine with thank you notes from clients who tell me the difference I've made in their lives, notes from my kids, pictures of me with people I admire, notes to myself from days that I felt really good about what I did. Your book can contain whatever fuels your fire,whatever instantly signals to you "I am unique, I am brilliant, I make a difference."

If you don't believe it, why should anyone else?