Seeing Yourself Through New Eyes

I'm going through an interesting experience at the moment. I'm working on creating a resume for myself. I haven't created a resume for myself in almost 20 years! That's a long, long time. For all those years, I haven't had need of a resume, nor have I tried to look at my skills through this type of a lens.

I think most of us have the tendency to minimize our skills and positive attributes. Maybe it's early training in humbleness and not being prideful. I'm not sure where it comes from, but many of us don't see ourselves and our skills/abilities accurately.

As I work through this process of providing data to a professional resume writer, I'm both elated and deflated by my past. Looking at old performance reviews I see the best, and worst, of myself. It's an interesting little exercise!

I've helped many people write their resumes. I can see the enormous skill and potential in others. When it comes to myself, however, it is difficult to see the best qualities that I have to offer. The things I do well seem like 'second nature' to me. They don't seem all that special. Yet, when viewed through the eyes of other people, they are seen quite differently.

Sometimes we need to see ourselves through other people's eyes. We might feel that we have messed up, or are not living up to our own standards. Other people, however, might find us extraordinary!

It is beneficial at times, when we are feeling low, to let other people show us how THEY see us. Our own bias causes us to devalue ourselves. Other people can sometimes help us see ourselves more accurately!

I'll see my new resume soon, and see myself through the eyes of someone who will evaluate my capabilities with fresh, objective eyes.

I don't encourage basing our self worth on the views of others - but when we are down on ourselves, or uncharacteristically negative, we can be 'refocused' by the way that other people see us!

When you are feel down... give your friends the chance to bolster your view of yourself with reality!