Why is it so hard? We’ve been taught not to brag or boast, and sometimes self-deprecation is easier than listing our strengths. I’ve also heard people say it feels too “salesy.”

But what it comes down to is fear of visibility. For being seen, and for being seen for who you really are. The fear says: Will people still like me? Will they run away? Will they think I’m crazy? What should I say or not say? How much is too much?

In this three-step process, the first two are brainstorming exercises. Don’t worry about getting it perfect right now. This is your opportunity to write down everything and get it out of your head. We’ll put it all together in step three.

Step One – Understanding You

The power in your story comes from your gifts, experience, knowledge, insight, and wisdom. In other words: YOU.

Since this is brainstorming, no answer is wrong. The point is to do a “brain dump” of everything rolling around in there, and then pick out what you need from this list later. So write quickly, without thinking about it too much (and try to have some fun):

• Your values. What are the most important principles you live by?
  For example: positivity, gratitude, community, integrity, love, service, compassion, adventure, beauty, achievement, etc.
• Your strengths. What are you naturally (or by training and experience) really good at?
  For example, list your results from tests such as StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs, etc. and your skills and training, such as:writing, engineering, building, research, dancing, painting, etc.
• Your Magic. How do you serve?
  For example: teaching, coaching, writing, leading retreats, analyzing, consulting, etc.
• Your passion and purpose. These are the driving forces in doing what you do, what gets you out of bed, what keeps you awake at night, why you serve people, what makes you tick.

Congratulations! You have completed step one. Keep this list in a place you can find it again for step three of writing your bio.

Next up: Step Two: Understanding Your Tribe