Do you ever feel a little different from most people, that you don't quite fit into a particular niche? If so, don't feel bad because you don't "fit in." Celebrate it. Turn your uniqueness into a strength. Your skills, strengths, passions, and gifts are like no one else's. So why should you conform to someone else's idea of what you should be? You shouldn't. Instead, turn your differences into assets. The world is full of extraordinary women who have done just that.

Today, Aretha Franklin is hailed as the Queen of Soul. But when she signed a deal with Columbia Records in 1961, they tried to turn her into a pop jazz singer. Franklin was less than enthusiastic. In 1966, she went to Atlantic Records and focused on soul, and her career began to soar. She was one of the first women to actively steer her own recording career. Her mantra with producers was, "If you're here to record me, then let's record me, not you." As a result, she earned R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Another woman who didn't quite fit in is Oprah Winfrey. In the early days of her career, Oprah was fired as a TV reporter because she broke the cardinal rule of journalism: She openly sympathized with the unfortunate people she interviewed. When she started crying while interviewing a woman who had lost seven children in a tragic fire, she lost her job.

What's more, when Oprah was 22 and a new anchorperson, a group of men in suits sat around a table and suggested that she change her name to Suzie! They told her, "No one will ever be able to pronounce or remember Oprah. Besides, Suzie is friendlier."

To stay true to herself and to keep her media career going, Oprah came to realize that she would have to create her own venue. She worked hard to launch The Oprah Winfrey Show, a talk show with a heart and a hand extended to people in need. Today, Oprah is a one-woman media empire worth billions.

Imagine what would have happened if either of these women listened to popular opinion! People look at what has worked in the past, and they'll encourage you to conform to a tested formula. But your uniqueness might be a whole lot more interesting than any formula.

ACTION: Let your inner voice be your guide.

Take a moment to list at least 5 things that you believe are unique about yourself. Perhaps it's your outlook on life, your sense of humor, your mission, or the way you really listen and can make a person feel special. Celebrate your uniqueness and acknowledge these gifts that make you special. When people offer suggestions that you change something, listen to your inner voice. Does their advice have merit, or is your unique style a truer reflection of who you are?

Follow your own vision, despite what others think you are supposed to do. Don't try to be like someone else, because you'll only be second best. Honor your authenticity. Stand tall in who you were meant to be. People will beat a path to your door if you let your uniqueness shine.


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