Stop Leaving YOU Out of the Conversation

Someone recently asked me, “What’s important about you that I need to know?” Without a second thought I said, “Well, I’m married. I have three kids (2 boys and a girl), and I’m an HR professional.” And that’s it.  If you read my poetry book, Who Is She?, available on amazon.com, then you know that I’ve been on a journey to find myself outside of family and career, but out of pure instinct and because I love them dearly, I always put them first.

Featured in my book is an autobiography poem that was originally written for my poetry class.  My professor had one note, “This tells me what you’ve done but not who you are.” So, if I’m not just a wife, mother, and HR professional, then who the hell am I? Although these are important details about my life, it still leaves open-ended questions about the rest of me that has not been so easy to answer.

Do I not value my family and career enough if I also speak about my personal interests?  Hell, until recently, I honestly couldn’t tell you what my personal interests were. I was so deeply lost in everyone else that I left absolutely nothing of myself for me. I wasn’t passionate about anything and didn’t have any hobbies. I had nothing for myself to be proud of or excited about except for my family and career.

It wasn’t until that poetry class that I realized just how lost I was.  It was also then that I began to discover myself, again.  Writing my poetry book became my sanity and helped me to uncover myself, my passion for writing, and my calling to inspire others.  I swear I get chills just thinking about how God works.  I went back to school so that I could teach high school English, but He had a different plan for me.  His plan was not for me to teach English but to take some English courses to prepare myself for my true purpose – WRITING!

So let’s talk.  What’s important about you that I need to know? How do you answer that question? Do you only talk about family and career, or do leave room for your personal interests too?

This is such an a-ha moment for me!  Literally, right after I answered the question, I realized that I had forgot about me once again.  Of course, it goes without saying that your family and career are important, and you should be excited to talk about them, but sprinkle some of you in there too.  You’re worth it!

What’s important about me? ME!!!  Now, I’m definitely still  a work in progress, and I’m still figuring myself out, but going forward, I’m not leaving myself out of the conversation.  So, go ahead, ask me again! What’s important about me that you need to know? Well, let me tell you, I’m a blogger and poet, and I have a passion for inspiring and uplifting others.  I have a loving husband and three beautiful children.

Your turn! Tell me again what’s important about you that I need to know?

💜 Tiarra