Never Allow What You Can’t Do Interfere With What You Can Do!


I love this quote by Lance Wubbels, as oftentimes there is a tendency to focus on the talents and characteristics that we do not have versus what we have been blessed with. It is easy to look at someone else’s abilities and wish you were like them instead of focusing on your own strengths.

I have always been an introvert. Although I enjoy being around others, it takes a lot of energy for me, as I get my energy through alone time. There would be times where I would be envious of extroverts and their ability to easily walk into a room and socialize with any person that they came across! Since that is something that does not come naturally to me, I always wished I could be more like those people. Now it is definitely alright to see something about yourself that you want to work on, but it is not ok for you to think any less of yourself and your worth. After going to more and more social engagements, and seeing extroverts excel in this area, I started to feel like I did not have anything to offer. I prayed about this thinking that God would change me to being an extrovert and that all my social interactions would be perfect. Would you know that He kept me exactly the same?! After 28 years, I am still the same introvert that I was when I was 5 years old. However, God did do two things. First, He has allowed me to become more comfortable over the years being in my own skin. Huge social gatherings do not intimidate me the way they used to. Secondly, He showed me how to use my strengths. My ability to easily communicate in small groups or one-one-one has helped me tremendously in my career as a therapist. I also tend to listen more than I speak. I have found this to be helpful at work and in my personal relationships. Had God listened to my requests, He would have changed something that makes me who I am. Nothing is wrong with being an introvert. We have strengths that extroverts do not have and vice versa.

I encourage you today to focus on what makes you unique and special. It is a wonderful attribute to be able to celebrate the strengths you see others have. But never allow someone else’s strengths keep you from celebrating your own. If we were meant to be exactly the same, God would have made us that way! Find what makes your special, and use it to make a difference everywhere you go!

Continuing to break the stigma,

Elise Banks
Miss International 2015

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