I Am Me

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." -Albert Einstein

I love this. It reminds me to be me and no one else. If I spend my life comparing my figure to airbrushed movie stars or 18 year olds who have never known the joys of childbirth, I will certainly always feel undesirable. If I compare my professional accomplishments to those without children and with advanced degrees and 30 years of experience, I will certainly always feel like an underachiever. If I compare all of my faults to others' strengths, I'll never have a sliver of hope to measure up.

I am me. I'm not any of the people I admire. I do not have their particular skill sets or personalities. I have mine, and though, in my own eyes it isn't much, it's enough to be successful. There are times I find myself focusing on the fact that I am a very analytical person that can come across as slightly abrasive, as I'm passionate about too many things, have too many opinions, and can't seem to hide them or keep my mouth shut. This disqualifies me from politics, sales, and professional butt-kissing, but it also makes me good at effective problem-solving, increasing efficiency, motivational speaking, and writing (don't laugh).

Writing is an effective tool. You don't have to be eloquent or particularly articulate for it to work. You just need a pen and paper or a computer, if you're like me and type faster (and more legibly) than you can write. Find some quiet time and just write who you are. Don't write who you aren't. Write what you're good at, what your strengths are. Leave your weaknesses out. This is a personal resume of sorts. Write what makes you a good husband or wife, parent, child, or sibling. Write what makes you good at your job or school, or the ever-daunting household responsibilities. Write what personality traits work for you and what hobbies you excel at. Write what makes you good at being you. Don't limit yourself, but keep each point concise and easy to scan back through regularly.

I have my personal resume, and whenever I get caught up in all the trees I can't climb, I look it over again. You know what? I'm a damn good fish!