The better you are at helping people the worse you likely are at promoting yourself

Helpers, healers, and fixers, by nature or profession, often struggle to advocate for and promote themselves.

We hide in plain sight. We do amazing things under the radar.

We are often uncomfortable shining, sparkling, and being the focus of attention.

The message is that this admirable but there are A LOT of downsides.

When quality helpers and healers don't promote themselves, they leave lots of space for those who are not helping to be seen.

The world benefits when those making meaningful contributions promote themselves too.

People in need of help see what is promoted and they often choose to do that -- simply because they see it.

Promoting myself and sharing the value of my offerings is not my zone of genius or my zone of joy.

I do it to be a helper. To bring good into the world. And help those who need me, find me.

Learning to promote yourself elegantly is essential for a sustainable and fulfilling career in medicine.

As a woman in medicine if you don't promote yourself, and others do, they get the appreciation, the awards, the acknowledgment, and also often the promotions and raises as well.

If we don't promote the value we bring as women physicians, we will continue to be underpaid, undervalued, and underappreciated.

We can learn to promote ourselves authentically in ways that feel aligned.

This requires both learning and unlearning.

Start by owning and sharing compliments and praise that come your way rather than deflecting them.

Recommend others who you know are good. It makes you look good. And it is good practice.