“It’s time I realize I have something special to offer the world”
It was Tuesday night and I was at yet another work event with my husband. Being that he works for so many teams filming their sports events, we get invited to banquets with delicious food almost every week for two months straight. And while they’re always very interesting. It can get very tiring. I’m usually attached to my husband’s side as he works the room barely saying a word. Basically, I’m like his trophy wife at that moment. While it may bother some women, I’m fine with it. Those banquets are my husband’s moment to shine and I’m just happy to be invited along to get some of those left over rays. No one barely speaks to me and if they do it’s very brief. It usually goes something like this.
Random person at banquet: “Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met before. Do you work for the team too?”
Me: “No, I’m just the videographer’s wife.”
And just like that the conversation is over which is usually a bummer because I love meeting new people. Asides from being bummed that I didn’t get to know someone else, it can also get disappointing realizing that being a wife just isn’t enough. Though, I’m fine sticking to my husband’s side as he works the room, it’s upsetting to know that being a wife is nothing compared to him at that moment. To those people I’ll never be anything great unless I work for the team like my husband does. And of course, that means missed opportunities I’ll now never know about and the chance to learn and grow. All because they don’t value me enough to continue a conversation because I’m just a wife. If that’s not disappointing, I don’t what is.
Well, because I’m hard headed it took me a couple weeks to realize that I don’t know what disappointment is. Turns out, their inability to value my role as a wife isn’t disappointing. I’m the disappointment because I devalued my role as wife. And I did it the moment I introduced myself as “just the videographer’s wife.”
Why would anyone want to learn more with such a flat introduction? There’s nothing there. Nothing more to learn and nothing to pique interest. That intro could be used for anything. No one will think I’m special unless I give them a reason to think I’m special. The people didn’t rob me of opportunities, chances to learn or connect with others. I did. I did it the moment I became just a wife.
And that’s the problem we face. Instead of realizing that we are indeed someone special we keep selling ourselves short. And all it took was the word, “just.” That one little world holds all the power that is sucked away from us the moment we utter it. We need to embrace that we aren’t just anything; we are special. All we need to do is drop “Just” from our vocabulary.
You are no ordinary man or woman. It’s about time you realized, you aren’t just anything. You are IT. I don’t care if you are a stay at home dad, sophomore college student, chef at Red Lobster, librarian, administrative assistant, or even a garbage pickup person. There isn’t a single person on this earth who can do what you do the way you do it. You aren’t just anyone. You are the person to get the job done.
You aren't just anyone; you're the person to get the job done Click To TweetWho cares if you are the telemarketer for a major debt collector and all you do for the whole work day is make phone calls and enter data on spreadsheets? I know it’s hard to realize that what you do means anything at all when there are so many people you report or seemingly do more meaningful work than you. But you need to recognize that you are necessary. So no, you aren’t just a telemarketer. You ARE a telemarketer and you manage the day to day data system while making phone calls to several people through out the day.
And you, aren’t just a blogger. (Yes, I know it’s hard to resist that line of thinking when your blog is so small in comparison to so many other large blogs on the web.) Regardless of how many views you have or the lack of comments on each post know that you are more than just a blogger who writes about budget travel. If someone asks, this is what you say:
“I AM a blogger who writes about budget travel around the country.” And say it with vigor.
Doesn’t that sound so much better than, “I’m just a blogger.”? It’s amazing how much power your identity holds when you remove the just and let it stand on it’s own.
Regardless of the chore at home, menial work task at the job or lackluster check list that gets tackled, no one can do it the way you do. Why? Because you aren’t just anything or anyone. You are someone special. Turns out making the transition and having people realize it isn’t as hard as you may think. Simply, delete the “just” and watch the magic happen.
Do you ever devalue yourself by being “just” anyone? Introduce yourself in the comments and help me realize you are special and believe what you write!
TERRIfic Quip: Stop undervaluing what you aren’t and start valuing what you are.
Funny I often find myself having trouble introducing myself too.. or better yet when I wrote my bio for my speaking engagement I felt almost embarassed sending it because I felt like it wasnt humble enough.. but hey! If you dont promote you no one will right?!
My intro: Hi, I’m Karlise and I am a motivational speaker writer & coach.
Although, I’m not married, I have a significant other and I tend to work the room just as much as he does. But, I guess that’s because of my occupation, I tend to be pretty fearless, (which can be misconstrued… 🙂 ) and I love meeting new people. BTW, I’m Danika, a News Director, reporter, lifestyle blogger. Nice to meet you.
Yes we must use our words to give us power. The tongue is a direct connection to our brain. I am much more careful of the things I say aloud and quietly to myself. I am practicing use my words to speak the life I desire into existence.
This was awesome! I have trouble with introductions too. I have a hard time talking about myself though.
It’s good that you were able through self-reflection see the error in your introduction. People tend to feed off your energy so if you aren’t excited it’s hard for them to be.
Very important. You have to see how valuable you are before you can expect others to recognize your greatness inside.
You are so right…we often times empower others to devalue us and that is our first and biggest mistake. Great piece!!
My Freshmen year of college at FAMU in SBI that was one of the first lessons that stuck with me. You introduce yourself with “I am” instead of “my name is” which many tend to do. They stressed the importance of being confident in yourself and never selling yourself short by diminishing who you are. Intro: I am Lauren Gay, senior business analyst in clinical systems at an oncology hospital by trade and creator of a niche fast growing travel blog, Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva. It’s nice to meet you.