Last week for my birthday my colleague Jennifer gave me this card:
The caption reads, “Trisha owns her AWESOMENESS.”
The idea of owning one’s awesome resonated with me because, shortly before I saw the card, I was in a meeting regarding CHEN’s upcoming website relaunch (yeah, I’m breaking that news). The site redesign has been a source of ironic anxiety as we, a public relations firm, struggle with the idea of tooting our own horn.
We all too often are so focused on fulfilling our clients’ needs that we forget about ourselves. I think that both in our personal and professional lives people and businesses downplay their awesome because they don’t want to risk sounding pompous. But humility doesn’t mean not letting your accomplishments or what makes you unique shine.
I’m going to do the thing we’ve been avoiding. I’m going to toot the horn. CHEN does amazing work; we have great clients that we love working with and seeing succeed. The company culture here can’t be outdone and I’m grateful every day I get to come in to 71 Summer Street. Launching the redesign of our site is a big dose of some long overdue TLC for our brand. Over the past few months I’ve been hard at work with my colleagues Kayla and Chris to build the best site possible that tells the story of the CHEN brand. Every step closer to the finish line is a reward and that, my friend, is very awesome.
Owning your awesome means embracing every single part what you are. If you’re an individual, owning your awesome is letting your freak flag fly. If you’re a business, it means not holding back from publicizing your successes to avoid sounding like a braggart. Are there instances of companies so self-promotional they draw eye rolls from all across the web? You bet. But that’s not owning your awesome, that’s owning your arrogance.
Owning your awesome lets others know that you’re confident and proud, not self-conscious and attention-seeking or egotistical. We shouldn’t be afraid of the things that make us great! So get out there, be an individual, let your accomplishments shine.
Own your awesome.