Way back in July I was slowly getting hooked on yet another series of Celebrity Big Brother. It was *adopts a Marcus Bentley accent* 'Day 2 in the Big Brother House' and the housemates were still finding their feet
It inspired me. It really got me thinking about the way in which I've changed over the years and how I've become more confident and sure of who I am. There are many reasons for me having blossomed late in life and now is not the time nor the place to go into the whys and the wherefores, but my 40th birthday was the turning point.
So I thought I'd describe five things I love about me (let's not go far as ten... my head might get a bit big) and how I use these for business and life in general.
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Leader
I am part of a community running group which aims to coach people through the 'couch to 5k' programme in a fun and supportive atmosphere. I fell into the role two years ago by way of a happy accident and, in that time, I've been part of a team that has got hundreds of people up off their arses and running for the sheer joy of it all. I have met some awesome people along the way who are now smashing personal goals and running miles and miles just because they can.
Feisty
I'm always wary of this word because it can have both positive and negative connotations. In this instance I like to believe that I am someone who is determined and who will stand up for her beliefs without being aggressive or disrespectful as that is a fine line that doesn't need crossing!
Grounded
Five years ago I wouldn't have accepted this as a valid description of myself but, as mentioned further up the page, I worked out who I was, where I was going in life and what I needed to do to get there. I'm not sure I could have done this without any of the life experiences I'd already had or without the people I have around me.
Interested
I like to think I have my ear to the ground, especially when it comes to trending topics. That may be knowing which celebrity is using tit tape (or not) this week or whether it is learning about how to approach a business audience using the latest Snapchat filter. As Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it". I take that quote fairly literally and try to soak up everything. The world is changing around us all the time and to succeed, you have to understand those changes and know how to implement them.
Committed
I'll see a task through to the bitter end and to the best of my ability. I am also a loyal person who, in the right situation, can be totally relied on. Whilst friendships aren't always encouraged in the business world, I don't necessarily pander to the expression "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" because everyone has strengths that can be utilised and if you are only seeking negatives then you'll never find the positives.
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I started this self-evaluation with the best will in the world however I stalled a little. It's always hard to be positive about yourself, even if you are the most confident person in the world, isn't it? In business you should be listening to your (potential) customers so I asked people that know me very well to describe me in one word (crowd-sourcing is always a fab way to get inspired). Their feedback and honesty has helped me to be more positive about me - and I hope it encourages you to be more positive about you too. By all means, feel free to take this idea and run with it - you can also link to your own '5 Things I Love About Myself' in the comments so I can come and read it!
This is the first post in a 30-day blogging challenge that will help me re-engage and help me find a focus. I have no idea what that focus yet is going to be but we're going on this journey together and we are going to find out. If you fancy joining in, you can sign up here - it's FREE and it's run by Sarah and Kevin Arrow. I'm already enthused by their positivity and encouragement.
If you're new here, you can follow me on social media - it's where I overshare empty my head of all random thoughts before I order them into the occasional blog post. I apologise in advance because my profanity filter is broken...
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