Rediscovering Your Strengths: What You Bring To The Table
"You are always stronger than you think. You've just been too busy surviving to notice." — Unknown.
So, you've hit pause. Maybe by choice, maybe not. Either way, you're in that weird in-between space — where the dust settles, but the clarity hasn't fully kicked in.
This is the perfect time to do something powerful: rediscover what you bring.
Because here's the truth — just because you're not in your previous role doesn't mean your skills, strengths, or potential disappeared. They're still there. Maybe buried under burnout, self-doubt, or a season that pulled you in too many directions... but they're still yours.
Let's find them again.
Start With What Comes Naturally
Think back to when things flowed and you felt in the zone.
That wasn't an accident. It was your natural genius showing up.
Ask yourself:
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What do people always come to me for help with?
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What feels easy to me but seems hard for others?
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What have I done (in work or life) that made me feel proud or alive?
You might be surprised how much strength is hiding in your everyday moments.
Use Tools To Spark Insight
If you're feeling too foggy to see your strengths clearly, try one of these tools and resources to spark insight:
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CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder): Discover your top 5 natural talents and how they show up in relationships, leadership, and work.
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DISC Assessment: Learn your communication and work style and how to collaborate or lead better based on your natural tendencies.
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What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles: This classic career book walks you through exercises to uncover your values, skills, ideal work environment, and even how to network with clarity. It's not just a book — it's a personal career discovery workbook.
You don't need a test to know your worth, but sometimes a little outside perspective helps spark clarity.
Reframe Your Experiences
Your past roles — even the ones you didn't love — built real value. Take a few minutes to jot down what you gained from them:
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Skills you developed
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Challenges you overcame
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Lessons you learned about yourself
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How you showed up for others
This isn't a résumé exercise. It's a mindset shift. You're collecting evidence of your resilience, impact, and growth — because those things still matter.
Ask Someone Who Knows You
Sometimes we're the last to see our strengths. Ask a few trusted friends, former coworkers, or mentors:
“What do you think are my natural strengths?”
“What’s something I do well that I might overlook?”
You'll be amazed at what comes back.
From Reflection to Action
Once you start identifying your strengths, try this simple exercise:
Create two lists:
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What I'm Good At
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What I Enjoy Doing
Then look for the overlap. That's where your sweet spot lives — and probably where your next opportunity should start taking shape.
Free Download:
Strength Reflection Worksheet
Do you need help putting this all together? I created a simple worksheet to help you reconnect with what makes you great—and see it in black and white.
Final Thoughts
You are not starting from scratch.
You're starting from experience, strength, and wisdom.
Before you move into what's next, take this time to own who you are — and everything you bring to the table.
“Sometimes we just need to be reminded of who we were… so we can become who we’re meant to be.”
