Women, do not be embarrassed or lack the confidence to blow your own trumpet.
Humility doesn’t mean hiding your success.
I co-facilitate workshops in schools. One of the exercises is like a psychometric test designed for young people to help them identify their strengths and values. One of the questions is about humility. The statements include the following;
- I don’t brag about my accomplishments
- I don’t act as if I’m a special person
I have a problem with both of these. They remind me of when I’m working with women who’ve achieved amazing things. These very same women then say to me, ‘But I don’t want to blow my own trumpet’. This isn’t humility to me and doesn’t do anyone any good, especially not the women. I’m thinking, yes blow your own trumpet and while you’re at it, crack out the brass band and do a jig!
Celebrate your achievements.
Sometimes the motivation for not celebrating your accomplishments is about not wanting to make others, who are not doing so well, feel bad. To this I say, it’s not within your power to ‘make’ anyone feel something, we’re all responsible for our own feelings.
When we truly celebrate together, without jealously, we energise and uplift each other. Because we’re all connected; your success is mine, mine is yours as we share the feeling of joy. One woman told me she didn’t want to appear big headed. For whatever reason women in particular are too quick to put ourselves down and so slow at ‘blowing our own trumpet’. Even women in what are usually considered successful careers and businesses. But it’s OK to say and share when you’ve done well and achieved something. No matter how small to others, it’s your accomplishment.
Be confident and ‘Blow your own trumpet’.
Only you can find the confidence to say to the world ‘I’ve done well. I am skilled, knowledgeable, capable, tenacious, bold, creative’ etc. If you don’t let others know, then promotions will pass you by. Business opportunities won’t come your way and clients and potential collaborators won’t know just how amazing you are to work with.
Interestingly when I was looking for an image of a woman blowing a trumpet I couldn’t even find one on Pixabay or Unsplash unless she was a majorette! I found just on Shutterstock and it was a young girl. Easy enough to find a man though. What does that tell you? So what are you waiting for? it’s time to pick up your trumpets and blow my friends.
