Last week I was having a hard day + I felt down about myself as a business owner + creative. I needed some encouragement so, believe it or not, I turned to Instagram! And I posted this image + caption: 

One person said, “I finally found the confidence to do what I told myself I couldn’t do for so long. Telling myself that I CAN is so rewarding!” 

Another said, “My decision to put my health first. Mentally, physically, + spiritually so that I can have the strength to help those in my life who depend on me.”

Yet another wrote, ” I love that I always want to create! Even when life gets messy + busy (i.e. always), I have the desire to create things for those who value art.”

… “My ability to adapt + my resilience.”

… “My desire to bring forth and restore beauty.”

… “My heart that loves easily.”

There were SO many beautiful, encouraging, + empowering things that people took the time to write about themselves. Things they VALUE about themselves … things they are proud of. As I scrolled through these comments, I felt so extremely encouraged. I felt proud of the people who posted. I wanted to hug them + tell them that I believe in them.

I’m writing this post today because yet again, last night, as I was at an event with an entire group of creatives, this topic of comparison + self-doubt + struggle kept coming up. We are SO QUICK to doubt ourselves. To become deflated. And believe me, I KNOW you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to struggle with these things. We ALL do. My best friend who is a social worker at a hospital + a mom to a seven-month-old, she struggles with comparison too … in her own way for the season of life she is in. It almost feels inevitable, that we will always struggle with this as human beings.

And maybe so.

But today, I want to turn the tables. I’m here to encourage you. As I have been encouraged, + as I need to daily encourage myself. Believe in yourself. Just do it. Because YOU are unique. And there is NO ONE else in this world just like you. No one who can be a mom JUST like you. No one who can be a wife JUST like you. No one who can run a business JUST like you. No one who can take a photo, or design a flower arrangement, or design a website JUST like you. 

You have something special to offer this world that NO ONE else can. And that’s the TRUTH. I’ve asked it before + I’ll ask it again: Can you tell me one thing you love about yourself? Or one thing about yourself that you are proud of? Maybe it’s as simple as reminding yourself of that everyday, + rearing your own head right back at the nasty one of comparison.

Maison, no one else can make their clients feel the way you make your clients feel because they aren’t you. You have a special + unique gift that you can offer your clients that NO ONE else in this world can offer them — and that’s yourself. The way you love them + make them feel special. Don’t forget that.

Try it now, will you?