You’re Pretty Great, Do You Know That?
Thanksgiving 2018 ended and I found myself on a plane back to Minneapolis. It had been a tough year, ending my engagement and quitting a well-paying job I hated but after it all, I felt a newfound sense of discovery.
On the flight, I sat between two women I hadn’t met before. A few minutes after the no-seatbelt sign went off, the twenty-something girl next to me struck up a conversation. She was just leaving her hometown of Philadelphia, heading back to Chicago. It was this trip home for Thanksgiving that she decided she was going to move back to Philadelphia to be closer to her family. She was going to tell her dad at a later date to surprise him. There was so much happiness in her eyes when she told me her decision. Her name was Shannon. She was a therapist. Little did she know, I needed to talk to one after the year I’d been through. Thanks, Shannon.
Jan, 56, was originally from Taiwan but at the time was residing in Memphis. She hadn’t seen her mom for more than two years and went home for Thanksgiving — a little nervous about the flight. The year prior she got a guy’s phone number while pumping gas. He was 29. Her immediate response — “what do you have to offer me?” I valued Jan’s sense of knowing her worth and it really had me thinking. What is it about myself that I know I have to offer the world? What is my favorite part about myself?
Oftentimes, we love to see qualities in those around us that we wish we carried. We sometimes fail to see all of the wonderful things we do possess when looking at those we do not.
As my journey continues into my late 20’s, I’ve grown concerned that time isn’t slowing down and I still haven’t decided where my path is headed. Because of the inevitability that minutes and years fly by, I forced myself to think of my biggest strength as a way to point me in the right direction.
After that night, I started to search for others to answer the question: What’s your favorite part of yourself?
The best part about this question? Everyone has different answers. When someone responds, not only does it bring a natural uplifting feeling to that person, accompanied by a smile, but it also makes you realize that you may hold some of the same qualities. If you don’t, maybe it reminds you of someone you love that has one of the same qualities. Or maybe you just found something new you’d love to work on. I think that’s a pretty great thing.
Take my brother for instance, his favorite thing about himself is that he is passionate. Being passionate has led him to coaching. For me, it’s my innate ability to connect with anyone, anywhere — the checkout line at the grocery store, in an elevator or sitting the middle seat on a plane. I write with the intention to connect on a broader scale.
What if we focused on even just one thing we loved about ourselves? What if everyone found their purpose through acknowledging that one strength?
I challenge you to think about this question. What is the one main thing you love about yourself? Don’t overthink it. Take your answer and focus on sharing it. The world can use it. Whatever it is that you offer is significant, remember that.
