Living on brand
The other day we were discussing the many things we love about my sister's family. You see they are quite special.
My brother-in-law Ted is a wonderful cook and an endless river of energy. My sister Megan is adorable, giving, silly and the most organized person I know. My nephew Charlie is a collegiate athlete, kind, friendly and loved by all who meet him. My niece Grace might be the coolest of them all, with her natural beauty, a gifted ear for music, a quick and creative wit and an overall effortless vibe. We love how they love and serve others, and how close they are as a family.
My daughter Nora laughed and said “Yeah, we are like the Walmart version of their Target family. We are off brand.”
I laughed with her. I knew exactly what she meant. There are many days I wish I had more energy, was more organized, and was a super athlete who was effortlessly cool.
Then I stopped to wonder. Does simply wanting to level up and grow into the best version of myself make me an “off brand” version of someone else?
The answer is NO and here’s why.
While we may be able to find a knock-off sneaker, or bag, you can never really be off brand from another individual.
Because that’s what each of us are. Individuals.
You are the only one of you that will ever be. The one and only. Never before never since. One shot wonder. The original.
Therefore the only way you can ever be off brand is when you are not being yourself.
Here are a few suggestions on how to stay on brand:
Know who you are. Take some time to remind yourself what you stand for; what matters to you, your core values. Clear the cobwebs off your intuition, stop over analyzing and start living instinctually. Your gut can be a powerful guide to aligning your thoughts with your actions.
Rebranding is allowed and encouraged. Evolution is part of living and change will be part of your brand story. Trying something new for yourself is as on-brand as the Target 🎯 bullseye.
Love yourself. In good times and bad, be your own cheerleader and be kind to yourself. Remember you are doing the best you can with what you’ve got. In those life moments when you’re feeling like you’re doing it all wrong, smile and tell yourself, “I’m the only one who gets to screw up being me.”
Simply put: don’t waste time trying to be a knock off of someone else. You are the only one who gets the opportunity to be you. So enjoy being who you are, because you are the lucky one. 🍀
Matty’s daughter still makes fun of her for purchasing her fake Birkenstocks. If you’d like to share your personal brand brief with someone, Matty would love to hear it.
