Do you give yourself credit for the things you are naturally good at? When a skill or trait comes naturally, it's easy for us to assume that everyone has it because the effort is almost invisible to us. Then we minimize or discount the value that those abilities bring to our work, homes and relationships while feeling inadequate in comparison to others who may do or be proficient in other aspects.
Think about some activity or behavior that you do well instinctively. It could be anything; spelling, drawing, dancing, telling jokes, getting along with people, or anything else that feels easy and comfortable for you to do. Maybe ask someone whose opinion you trust to confirm that this is something you are good at, for their perspective on the value that this brings, and also to confirm that not everyone has the talent to perform this as effortlessly as you.
In spite of what modern education and mainstream marketing would have us believe, we are all incredibly different in our talents, skills, interests and perspectives. I have come to believe that our greatest gift and potential as human beings lies in understanding and accepting our own individual and unique characteristics and finding the place(s) in life where those attributes can be most appreciated.
On another note, I have accepted the position as President of EWI (Executive Women International
http://www.executivewomen.org/) Lethbridge and have started a
blog featuring updates and member information from our group.
Run for Public Office. If you are fed up with the political system, it's time to get involved. A growing number of our state and federal government representatives are "professional politicians" -- people whose careers managed to bypass the private sector entirely. Not only do they not "get" business, they look at it as a "necessary evil" -- an activity whose primary purpose is to create jobs and tax revenue (not necessarily in that order) that needs to be regulated heavily in order to protect the public. They look upon businesspeople as incompetent if they fail, corrupt if they succeed and would agree with the 19th century French novelist Honore de Balzac that "behind every great fortune lies a great crime." 
Do you give yourself credit for the things you are naturally good at? When a skill or trait comes naturally, it's easy for us to assume that everyone has it because the effort is almost invisible to us. Then we minimize or discount the value that those abilities bring to our work, homes and relationships while feeling inadequate in comparison to others who may do or be proficient in other aspects.
I was hired to write a new business plan for Alberta entrepreneurs Ron Leclair and Bryan Cardwell. Already primed for success with a combined 30-ish years with one of the leading national companies in the auto glass industry, Bryan and Ron were ready to go out their own and opened Benchmark Glass & Mirror Ltd.
I always have a hard time buying in to the concept of a recession when I get to work with so many visionary business leaders who are growing, evolving and reinventing products and services to continually reach even higher levels of success.
