Blog: Own your strengths
Sometimes, as in the case of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, your biggest strength can be something you’ve overlooked, says Astrid, one of 韩国AV’s Wellbeing Captains for 2020/2021.
In order to leverage your strengths and improve on your weaknesses, you first need to know them.
Today, I’m going to be talking to you about what ‘Making the ordinary extraordinary’ means to me. To me, this initiative is about playing to your strengths. You can make something ordinary – something that you’re good at or something you enjoy – extraordinary by making it a priority in your life and by putting yourself in situations where you can take advantage of this skill.
Now this is easier said than done, because to do this you need to first identify and accept your strengths. This is something that I used to have a hard time with this. And I’ll admit, I have tried in the past to be something I’m not. For example, one day I woke up in Year 7 and thought, “You know what? I’m going to be in the Firsts for Touch.” Now don’t get me wrong, if you really want something there’s nothing wrong with going after it, but considering I can only see out of one of my eyes, have zero peripheral vision and as a result, cannot catch a ball to save my life, I’m not sure why I thought making this my goal was a good idea!
Now, I’m going to need you all to trust me on this one, but someone who I think really embodies this idea of ‘owning your strengths’ is Elle Woods from Legally Blonde.
For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, it stars Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a dizzy, yet razor-sharp blonde who gets into Harvard Law School with the purpose of winning back her boyfriend – only to discover that she is a legal whiz. Through the course of the film, Elle ultimately learns to value her brains.
At the end of the film, there’s a trial scene where Elle uses her argumentative nature and hyper femininity to her advantage. In doing so, she brings a new perspective to the trial, which ultimately causes her team to win the case, despite the fact that she was ridiculed and not taken seriously for these very same qualities by her classmates, professors, and even her parents!
So, if you ever find yourself trying to be someone you’re not, just remember this: you have the ability to make what you perceive to be an ordinary strength, extraordinary! And who knows, perhaps in doing so, you could well be the next Valedictorian of Harvard Law School!
Thank you.
Astrid
Wellbeing Captain 2020/2021