I'm TIRED of being humble...

Lol! Really, Ray J? Who says that? In real life? And means it? It was pretty funny when he said

I went to University of Maryland - College Park, which means that when I was in my 20s, I partied in DC. My husband was attending Howard University when we started dating, so we went out in DC while we were dating. I. Hated. Going. Out. In. DC. Mainly because the crowds seemed sooooo pretentious to me back then. I felt like giving your resume was standard practice when you met someone. Ugh! STFU! I DO NOT CARE what you do for a living. We are at the club, not a networking event. Your job title is not WHO you are. It's what you do. STOP THIS! On God, I don't even know what my real friends do for a living. Like, people who have been in my life for 30 years, I don't know the details of their job function unless we have worked together. You know why? Because that's not why we're friends.

My husband is pretty popular. Very popular. I like to think that I am more low key than he is. I try to stay out of the way, travel, and have fun with my same 10 friends - cuz no new friends. LOL! I love y'all though. I never really cared to know and be known by EVERYONE. So obviously, when the pretty girl, that know one has ever seen before, is all of the sudden engaged to Mr. Howard University (That's what I called my husband even though he did not garner the official title), people had questions. He is loved by everyone, so without knowing anything about me or our relationship, they assumed I was a "gold digger" only dating him because he was about to be a doctor. 

FIRST OF ALL! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 That's always funny. Anyway, my point is people would ask me what I did for a living. And I'd be kind of offended. Like why do you need to know that? Are you trying to count MY money? I'm a waitress. I'm a stripper. I'm an illegal arms dealer. I'm a paper clip bender. Didn't you see me on House Hunters? Seriously, what does it matter? I'm not asking you for money and since no one really knows what a medical laboratory scientist is or does anyway, INCLUDING doctors who rely on medical laboratories to make some pretty important decisions regarding their patients, I made a game out of not telling people what I really did for a living. Mainly because yelling "I'M A BOSS!" when you're not a rapper is frowned upon.
But here's the conflict....

Now that I am a business owner, I need to promote myself and my business whenever I have a chance and it makes me uncomfortable because I have always avoided talking about my profession in social settings. How do you create a conversation around who you are and not what you do for a living? What do I do? I create. I save. I lead. I encourage. I connect. I help. I do all of these things because that's who I am. I am a creator. Creating products for "us" because "the man" markets products with unhealthy ingredients that counter my customer's hair and skin goals. I save edges and elbows. I am a leader. Leading by action to show people that they can live in their purpose too. I am a helper. I help people tackle their dry hair and skin. I help people avoid cancer and body odor by manufacturing an aluminum free deodorant that actually works and doesn't break them out. I help other small business owners create product lines of their own through product development and manufacturing quality products for them. I connect people with my network so they can build relationships in line with their own goals.

Part of who I am is being "regular". I don't like to make a big deal about what I have and projects that I'm working on because I've conditioned myself to not want people to think I'm bragging. Yes. I know. How people interpret what I say is a reflection of them, not me. But, like I said, I've conditioned myself over the years to play what I've accomplished down. My husband calls it humble. I just say I'm out here living in my purpose, doing what I'm supposed to do, it's not a big deal. Or is it? 🤔 I always kick myself when someone compliments my hair and/or skin and I can't find a way to tell them about my products.

Things I work on in therapy: having empathy and ways to get over myself so I can promote myself. The truth is that I am an introvert and my previous life as a managing scientist did not require networking or much self promotion. So, talking period, let alone, talking about myself does not come naturally for me. Cuz closed mouths don't get fed and Fancy got a family to feed.