I got a fabulous compliment the other day. My friend R, a hilarious Brazilian woman that can Samba like nobody’s business, pulled me aside after Turbokick. “I have to tell you something. Did you see those ladies in the back in Zumba the other night? Well, they wanted to know who you were because they all said, ‘Wow, that girl can really move! She’s got great hips.'” Then R leaned in conspiratorially and added, “And they’re real Latinas so they know good Salsa when they see it.”
I spent the rest of the day beaming and checking out my latin hip action in every available reflective surface. (I am a favorite among the late-night stockers at Target.) The reason this compliment meant so much to me is that despite spending a good portion of my life dancing – it is one of my top 3 favorite things to do – I am not a naturally gifted dancer. And I’ve been around dancers long enough to know that there is such an animal.
I’m not graceful, I don’t pick up choreography particularly fast and I have to really work to not look like a marionette with a hyperactive puppetmaster (true story: I have actually hit myself in the face during Hip Hop.) All of which is not to say I’m a horrible dancer. I’m not. It just doesn’t come easily to me. That was true when I was on a swing dance team in college and it is true every Monday and Thursday night in Hip Hop and Zumba.
But what is also true is that I have a lot of tenacity. When I love something, I do it all out. I Salsa at home in my kitchen with a child holding one hand and a sippy full of curdled milk in the other. (My kids’ favorite game to play is hide the sippy cup from mommy. Nothing says fun like playing hide and go seek with a ticking time bomb of rotten milk!) I corner the best dancers after class and beg them to show me the tricky part just one more time. I watch dancing tutorials on YouTube and despite my general ban on television and movies, I will watch any movie – no matter how plot-challenged – if it has dancing in it. (The final dance scene from Stomp The Yard still gives me goosebumps. The Humpty Dance from Step Up 2 is a classic at our house. And hellooooo Center Stage with the magical spinning costume change!) This passion, it’s a gift.
We all have gifts. Every single person is naturally good at something. Our instinct, born of spot-the-cellulite mag covers and hypercritical television shows, is to focus on what we’re bad at rather than our talents. But I think this life is about making the most of what you’ve got rather than bemoaning what you haven’t. So here’s the deal, I want all of you to come up with three things that you are good at. Take your time, think about it and then post what you know is true.
I’ll go first:
1. I’m persistent. (Sometimes like a pitbull but we’ll call it a gift.)
2. I’m willing to try something even if I know I’m not going to be the best at it.
3. I can laugh at myself.
So tell me what you are good at! Are you a good listener? Are you great at motivating and inspiring groups of people? Do you have perfect pitch? Or great balance? Can you make conversation easily with strangers? Or three free-throws in a row? Unwrap a Starbust using only your tongue? I want to hear all about what you’re good at! (If you can’t think of anything, call your mother. That’s what we’re here for!)
1) I’m a hardworker- Im organized so I always get everything done and then some
2) I’m very independent/self sufficient. I don’t need to be constantly coddled and taken care of, and everything I own is mine (at my age, that’s big. I dont know anyone that doesnt rely on their parents/significant others for something)
3) I have a good sense of style. People tell me that all the time. best part? Im thrifty so I dont even have to spend mucho dollars.
Does it defeat the purpose that that was kind of hard to do? The whole time i felt conceited.
Whatever- I ROCK
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
3) I’m
My kids play that game with me too! I’m glad I’m not the only one to find a moldy milk bottle under the bed. Sick!
I am good at:
1- Not being able to think of things I’m good at.
2- Eating
3- Laughing
Wow, it’s amazing how hard this is. I asked my husband and his answers made me feel like I can only be useful in a work environment…unfortunately I don’t work outside the home, so what does that say about me??? Anyway, if I HAVE to come up with 3 things, I guess I’d say:
1. I’m very organized (my husband gave me that one, but it’s true, except for my house.)
2. I’m good at making people laugh and forgiving to a fault.
3. I play a mean game of Softball.
1) I bake a great cake – Dr D loves them.
2) I’m very loyal. – If you’re my friend then I’m very loyal and will look out for you.
3) I work hard – at whatever happens to be my focus that day.
rhymer.
freestyle rapper.
Hmmmm…
1) I’m good at crafts…I made my husband’s Halloween costume, I make jewelry and sell it, I make centerpieces, knit, and I decorate fake fruit!
2) I can whip up an Excel spreadsheet like nobody’s business (but that IS my job)
3) I can find anything in my house. Sadly my husband does not share this talent, so I’m constantly looking for things.
Thanks for making me think Charlotte! 🙂
Great idea!!
1. I make up funny songs to the tune of current popular songs. I keep waiting for SNL to give me a call.
2. I love to do impersonations of people (it sounds like I like to make fun of people, huh?).
3. I am a really good listener. If I could go back to college, I would definitely want to be a therapist (for children…they are less scary).
First of all, I love the ZUMBA!!
1) I have been called a "persistent %&^(*(*!!!"
2)Being a surgeon.
3)I have a Mickey Mouse watch my grandmother gave me as a child! Inscribed on the back, a real treasure. A few years ago, I looked at it again. The arms were missing, and it didn't run. I brought it in to be repaired, but the watchmaker said too many parts were missing! I asked my mom, "What's up with the watch?" She said, "When you were a little boy, you loved to take things apart, but not so good at putting them back together!"
Fortunately, either I got better at that, or nature does the "repair" for me 🙂
…I'm good at telling stories.
Oh, let’s see…this is harder than I thought it would be!
1. I’m a whiz at data analysis, which annoys my boss because that’s his favorite thing to do and I always beat him to it.
2. I’m a good cook. That pleases my husband and myself.
3. I am a really fast reader.
Okay:
1. I’m brilliant. One does not graduate from an Ivy League school a year early without a bit of brilliance.
2. Once I decide something, I’m tenacious (the decision to graduate early was after a discouraging meeting with Financial Aid, during which I spitefully told the counselor that if that was the best they could do, I was getting out early. And I did)
3. Once you get past the crazy, I’m actually a very nice/fun person.
I LOVE Step Up 2. I ingratiated myself with my boyfriend’s three little sisters (THREE!) by introducing them to it.
Charlotte you are SKILL at many other things too. You write beautifully and honestly, and you are so compassionate. I could go on.
1. I have been told I am a talented song-writer
2. I have been told I am a very good at communicating difficult concepts concisely (no flannel, no BS) – I like this one, it is very useful for my work. Cut to the chase!
3. Ummm. I’m really good at getting the tops off jars? You know when they stick?
TA x
Persistant
Researching things for my teaching position and for my website
Cooking Italian
1) I really like listening to other people talk and act as therapist for lots of friends
2) Writing
3) Taking care of myself and other people when its needed
It is SO good to receive recognition for hard work. Good for you! A while ago I became curious as to what I look like when I’m dancing, so I filmed myself dancing with my camera. Has to be one of the best self esteem boosters ever. You learn a lot about yourself from seeing a video! I recommend it:)
Love this!!!
1)I’m good at loving people. If I love someone, it’s with my entire heart, soul, and everything I am.
2)I’m a bigmouth, in a good way: I can fill a huge theater or auditorium with my speaking voice, without a microphone.
3)I’m really good at puns. (That IS a good thing, right?)
1. Languages – I speak French and seriously, any gathering that includes speaking French (or even if it’s just running into someone randomly) is like a super-charge energizer for me. I also studied a bit of Japanese, Chinese, and Latin. My junior year in high school looked like this: English, writing, French, Latin, Japanese, math. I’m not kidding. I had one non-language class.
2. Puzzles – the women in my mother’s family have a tradition of putting together a jigsaw every Christmas. So I started there, but also got into crosswords, number puzzles, word puzzles (you remember those “secret ink” books from the 5 and dime 20 years ago? You think you have the write answer, so you write over it with a special pen). Now I do Games magazine to go to sleep, or I cross-stitch (which is kind of like a puzzle, figuring out the pattern.
3. Being positive – I have my negative jags like the next person. But I can usually realize when I’m being negative, and I balance it out (or tip the scales) towards positive just by trying to be optimistic and hope for the best.
I’ve tried zumba, and it was fun, but I don’t look that great doing it. I have been salsa dancing, and I’m not bad, but usually I’m only passable at it if I’m dancing with a guy who really knows how to lead. If I have to freestyle or just follow someone at the front, I end up looking like a stiff step aerobics instructor…
I think that’s definitely an awesome compliment. I’ve never tried Zumba because I thought I’d look like an uncoordinated ass…
Oooh I like this one! Great way to start out a week.
1. Ditto on the persistence. If I want something I really sink my teeth in. This can lead to badness when I put the blinders on and lose perspective, but it’s usually good!
2. I’m very creative and silly with reckless abandon. I can weave a great tale of fiction. I’ll go do cartwheels in the rain because it sounds fun. I’ll start making up song lyrics to sing (badly) to the fiance to make him laugh. Life is way too sort to be serious.
3. I’m competitive. Pair this with #1 and you get an unstoppable force when faced with something to do and an amount of time to do it in.
It does feel a little self indulgent, doesn’t it? I think that’s sad…
I’m good at singing and drawing, and especially good at falling down and hurting myself.
You’re right – our culture encourages self-deprecation. Either that, or I don’t think very highly of myself. At least, I can’t easily think of three things I’m good at… but perhaps my standards for ‘good’ are a little high.
Let’s see.
1) Technical aptitude. I can fix almost any mechanical or logical problem with the right tools and a manual or four. I can often rapidly troubleshoot a system I have never encountered before.
2) Visualization. I can clearly picture an object given a set of plan drawings or a blueprint. Apparently this is difficult for some people. I also tend to visualize logical objects that I am building in code.
3) Programming. My code is neat, organized, concise, and consistent – at total odds with my physical life. I’m not an incredible programmer, just a very good one.
I’m very unhappy that all of these are mental things. I’ve never felt naturally athletic, although I love most sports (generally ones that don’t involve running) and things like snowboarding.
I know I’m never going to win a gold medal for anything, and I don’t have the connections or the drive to be the next Bill Gates. I don’t really care, though.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading all these. I’m very impressed. Especially with Tricia, awesome!
I’m good at so many things 😛 modesty not so much 😛
1) I’m good at saving money. Not only am I debt free, I have a good amount of money saved and I’ve only been working a little over a year.
2) Making things fun. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to exercise every day. It also makes it easier to learn things.
3) Designing websites. Front and back end. 😀
4) Singing. I don’t really think I’m exceptional or anything, but people at work seem to think I am. But they’re all programmers 😛
I echo everyone else — this is rather hard.
1. I am a good cook. People like my food and they don’t get sick.
2. I am being in charge. Like when no one else will do something I am the one who always just does it. That’s the big sister in me 🙂
3. I a good listener. I am patient but I won’t lie to you either.
ok, now I’m dying to see a video of you salsa-ing.
I am good at:
1) Being funny and making people laugh
2) Inherently choosing the right thing over the wrong, even if the right thing is more difficult
3) I’ve got great boobs. Sorry -I just do. Thanks for asking! This made me smile…
This took me a couple hours:
1) I’m an excellent cook! I disdain pre-packged foods and like to make everything from scratch, which requires a lot of thinking when I’m being strict on Paleo.
2) I’m extremely reasonable, like to think things through and apply my upbringing and my Christian faith to every situation. My friend told me the other day that she “hates” it when I say something (regarding life conversations) because it always makes sense and the older I get, the smarter it sounds.
3) I am good at loving my boyfriend! Even when I am angry with him, or think he is being an idiot or just wish he would stop talking; my next thought is about what I can do to make him smile or asking myself if we will still be having this disagreement in 20 years?
1) I can be a fast reader
2) [[When I want to!!!]] i can play Devil’s Advocate quite well.
3) I’m pretty good at seeing both sides of a story.
Sounds like all of the makings of a teacher doesn’t it…!