Own Your Extra aka Greatness

I’ve always been *extra* but not in the sense that it is so commonly said. I’m extra. I own it. Yes,I have high standards and I won’t compromise. I know my angles. Yes, I hate tomatoes and no it is not okay if they are just on the side. NO TOMATO. EVER. I don’t want that tomato slime near me. Yes, I do have a very specific wet to dry ingredient ratio on my good. Why do we have to be ashamed of these things? I don’t consider having high standards being extra. Yes, I also do pose in a pile of leaves in a velvet jumpsuit but like honestly that’s just a Thursday for me. I live and define my own best life.

Even more important though, I’m extra in these ways: caring, energy, my work ethic and more. The amount of care I have in everything, even stupid little things is what often drives me to try to perfect things. My caring is what drives me in almost every aspect of my life. I own that my extra is what drives me good and bad. I am so tired of being labeled as extra for caring.

It bothered me that this was “extra.” Then it hit me, this is what happens when you own your greatness. It’s not extra. It’s what is going to drive you to accomplish what no one else can. When you own your greatness, you open up a whole new world to become who you are meant to me.

Own Your Greatness

Own your expectations and outcomes

One of the worst things I do is have unrealistic expectations. Not really shocking if you know me. However, owning that my expectations are unrealistic is funny enough, helping me have more realistic expectations. I know, it’s contradictory. Stay with me here. I know that I am never not going to have unrealistic expectations for myself. There are two sets of expectations I have for myself, the ones that are unrealistic and the ones that I know I can realistically meet. I’ve probably lost you here, but it’s what works for me. I’m working on my overall expectations, but until the day that I can be there, I’ve had to own these two sets of expectations and the outcome from them. It has helped me so much with dealing with self-hatred and obsessively negatively thinking about myself.

Have the courage to own the responsibility of your greatness.

Accepting the courage of being great? Sure, scoff. But please hear me out. No one is going to slay all day for your dreams or work as hard to make you succeed. Your greatness is going to require you to show up. Every day. No one else can take you all the way that you are going to have to take yourself. Show up for your greatness. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to yourself to show up for who you are.

Own What Defines You

This is what I say, own the things that define you. Make them so great that no one can own that like you do. Do not let your sparkle fade because it’s too much for someone else. You will find the people who understand you and be better off for it. Make someone take a couple more photos so you have your right angle. Care deeply and compassionately.

At the end of the day, you are going to have to be accountable for what you do. Not what anyone else does. Your greatness is within you and there is no reason to not own that. Own your greatness. Define your greatness. Be your own greatness. Also own a killer dress that can literally be with you from thing to thick. That never hurts.