It's back-to-school season, and whether you're a student, a parent, launching a new project, or just someone who loves the energy of new beginnings, this time of year is filled with opportunities for growth and self-discovery. As both a mother and a college professor, August is an exciting time but brings a lot of expectations and requirements. It’s easy to go through changes unaware of how you’re navigating transitions, but tapping into your unique strengths can transform not just your approach to tasks, but your entire outlook on life.
STORYTIME!
This year, as I prepared for my two children to head back to school, I found myself in the familiar whirlwind of shopping, organizing, and planning. I’ve been talking about Strengths more in recent weeks as I’m training teams and preparing for future trainings and I knew I had to walk it how I’ve been talking it. I decided to consciously lean into my strengths, and let me tell you, intentionally leveraging my Strengths is my favorite type of show and prove game-changer.
My Discipline talent had me making lists and utilizing online shopping and drive-up services to reclaim my time and protect my peace.
Meanwhile, my Strategic strength turned shoe shopping into a mission: having the kids try on the shoes they wanted in-store for the perfect fit, then snagging the best deals online.
My Strategic ALSO came in clutch with a new approach to truly being ready for the first day of school; school started for my children on Wednesday and as tempted as I was to let us all sleep in for the last two days, we got up at school time, got dressed, and left the house! We did a quick drive past both schools and then went to grab donuts (a SUPER rare treat). We took our donuts to the park and this little ritual made getting out of bed on Wednesday WAY easier.
And my favorite part? I tapped into my Empathy, Relator, and Individualization talents to turn school shopping into a bonding experience with each of my children.
The result? Not only did we get everything done efficiently, but we created some end of summer memories, strengthened our connections, and started the school year feeling energized and excited rather than exhausted.
This year's back to school prep got me thinking:
How often do we go through life on autopilot, not realizing the incredible strengths we possess?
How might our daily experiences transform if we approached them with an awareness of our unique talents?
One paradox of Strengths is we don’t recognize our Strengths as extraordinary, or worse we’re not even aware of our talents at all!
So, here’s a 5-step guide for you to tap into your own brilliance through strengths-based self-discovery in order to bring more ease, excellence, and enjoyment into your day no matter the season.
1. Identify Your Unique Brilliance (aka your Strengths!)
We all have a unique set of strengths that make us who we are, and Black women have a brilliance that is undeniable! These aren't just skills we've learned; they're innate talents that, when nurtured, become our superpowers. Take some time to reflect on what comes naturally to you. What activities make you lose track of time? When do you feel most energized and in your element?
If you haven’t already done so, natural talent discovery is a must! But remember, this is just a starting point. The real magic happens when you begin to observe these strengths in action in your daily life.
2. Strengths in Action
Once you've identified your top strengths, it's time to put them to work! Look for opportunities in your daily life where you can intentionally apply these talents.
For example:
If Learner is one of your strengths, how might you approach a new project at work as an exciting opportunity to expand your knowledge?
If you have strong Woo (Winning Others Over), how could you use this in networking situations or to build rapport with new students or teammates?
If Harmony is your thing, how might you leverage this strength to navigate conflicts in your personal or professional life?
The key is to be intentional. Instead of just going through the motions, so ask yourself, "How can I bring my unique strengths to this situation?"
3. Celebrate Your Brilliance
In a world that often focuses on fixing weaknesses, it's revolutionary to celebrate our strengths. So often Black women are striving for perfection in worlds and spaces that award mediocrity. This can lead to an imbalance and flat out distortion in how we see ourselves and our contributions. I’m here to remind you sis, you’re brilliant! You see yourself, others, and the situations clearly and uniquely, and that POV is a needed perspective shift.Share your discoveries with others. Ask trusted friends or colleagues for their observations about your strengths. Often, others can see our talents more clearly than we can ourselves.
I created my Strengths and Sounds Affirmation Cards to be your daily dopeness reminder so you never forget how naturally your brilliance shows up in the world and impacts those around you.
Grab your deck here, and place them anywhere in your work or home space to help you celebrate without hesitation. You can also create your own strengths-based affirmation or mantra. Something like, "My Positivity brings light to those around me," or "My Analytical mind finds solutions others might miss." Repeat this to yourself daily as a reminder of your unique value.
4. Cultivate a Strengths-Based Mindset
Embracing a strengths-based approach is more than just a one-time exercise; it's a mindset shift. It's about moving from "What's wrong with me?" to "What's right with me?"
This doesn't mean ignoring areas for improvement. It's the exact opposite - knowing what we don’t do well is a prerequisite for understanding and appreciating the areas where we’re skilled.
Instead, it means approaching growth from a place of empowerment rather than criticism. How can you use your existing strengths to address challenges or develop new skills?
5. Collaborate and Complement
I always say,
when we go together we grow together.
Understanding your strengths isn't just about personal growth; it's also about how you interact with those in your spheres of influence. In your personal and professional relationships, look for opportunities to compliment others' strengths with your own.
For instance, if you're high in Ideation but low in execution talents, partnering with someone who has strong Achiever or Discipline talents could lead to amazing results.
At home for me and my husband this looks like a strong use of my Discipline talents when it comes to planning and scheduling our lives, but I gotta be honest his Achiever talent theme is how a lot of these plans get executed! His ability to pace himself and knock down all these pins I set up is a work of art. He saves my life over and over again and I am eternally grateful LOL.
Diversity in strengths leads to stronger teams and richer relationships - especially the home team.
Wrapping Up
Unleashing your brilliance through strengths-based self-discovery is an ongoing journey. It's about continuously learning, growing, and finding new ways to apply your unique talents to create the life you want. You intentionally take your talents from a hidden gems to your crown jewels when you follow the steps above!
As you move forward, keep this in mind: You are brilliantly and uniquely you.
Your strengths are not just nice-to-haves; they are essential to your success and fulfillment. If you read this and feel inspired to put this 5-step method into practice but have no idea how, let me introduce you to ✨ Brilliance Breakthrough ✨ a strategy for brilliant corporate-creative Black women to reignite your passion and actualize with more ease, excellence, and enjoyment using your natural talents!
When you align your life with your natural talents, you're not just more productive – you're more authentic, more energized, and more empowered to create positive change in your life and the lives of those around you by doing the work you love and are best at.
So, I challenge you: This week, consciously apply your strengths to one area of your life. Notice how it feels. Notice the results. And then, do it again. And again. This is how we create lasting change and live in our realm of brilliance.
You've got this, and I’ve got you.
Now go shine!
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