The Courage to Stand Out

“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be” Maya Angelou

I walked by this tree the other day and it took my breath away. Something about the light and the intensity of the yellow leaves – it seemed to glow.

A beautiful, bright beacon, standing taller than all of the other trees around it.

It got me thinking about how much we are drawn to things and people that stand out. We value uniqueness in others. Yet, we consistently go out of our way to make sure that we don’t. We were taught to “blend in” and “not ruffle any feathers”.

After all what if we fail, or someone criticizes us? We would never want others to know about it. (By the way, there are no failures, only lessons, but that’s a story for another post)

Why do we value, admire and reward uniqueness in others and yet we hide from our own?

Make this your moment to take a stand, shine your light, and create your world your way.

What are your real estate goals for 2020? Not the ones everyone is telling you to do – but the ones that would really make you happy? I remember everyone telling me that I needed to set a goal of selling 1 house a week. In reality I have never actually wanted to do that. I actually prefer the cycles that come with being busy in some parts of the year and quieter in others.

What’s your income number? It’s okay if it’s less than the person next to you. And more importantly it’s okay if it’s more. (This one feels like another blog post as well.) Out shining and out earning those around us can be uncomfortable. In theory it should be celebrated, but sometimes there is conflict there. It’s time to let that go and know that your shining your light only helps others.

What is something that is personally important to you that you’ve put off because it’s selfish, or not the time, or different from what everyone else around you is doing? I love spirituality, I’m pretty deep into the Woo – my commitment at the beginning of October was to meditate every day for a year. I’ve always meditated, but I haven’t been consistent. Meditating might not be that different, but it’s always something that I’ve kept pretty private. Putting it out there is uncomfortable, but it’s one of the things that makes me unique and different.

My commitment to myself for 2020, and hopefully you will join me is to be the light. To truly embody my goals in hopes that it encourages and empowers others.

I invite you to join me. Here’s to standing out and being true to the goals that matter to you. Your goals and how your achieve them are unique, and they should be.

Standing out is a beautiful thing.

To your success!
Nicole

Leave a Comment





Signup to receive Nicole's blog posts via email weekly:

Other Posts

Letter to My Younger Self

April 11, 2025

Today is my birthday. For me, birthdays are a beautiful mix of celebration, anticipation and reflection. This post is dedicated to reflections. Things I wish I could tell my younger self. Imposter syndrome is normal! You’ve spent so much time doubting yourself. Feeling like everyone else knows what they are doing while you’re still trying…

Read More

Managing the Adrenaline / Emotional Roller Coaster of Real Estate

March 21, 2025

Closings, getting mutual on a contract, receiving a referral – there are lots of wins in real estate. Each one brings a shot of adrenaline that feels amazing. However, those moments are often short lived, with a lot of space in between. If you aren’t careful that space can fill with self doubt, insecurity or…

Read More

Why Proving Yourself Is A Bad Idea

March 14, 2025

I competed on a listing this week that I didn’t get. It was a great one too – awesome house, great clients. It was one I really wanted. When I got done pouting I took a few minutes to ask myself, ‘where did it go wrong’? Our first appointment was amazing! The second one, not…

Read More

The Secret To Success: How Awareness Transforms Everything

March 7, 2025

‘The first step towards change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.’ – Source Unknown Last week focused on letting go of the need to play catch up. The only thing that matters is focusing on the present moment. The…

Read More

Don’t Try To Catch Up – Just Start Where You Are

February 28, 2025

I’ve spent the last few days in Virginia at my favorite real estate conference, Genuine Hustle, where I had the honor of presenting a session on asking powerful questions. It’s the most authentic, vulnerable, supportive and all around amazing group of agents that I’ve ever spent time with. They haven’t released the location or dates…

Read More

This Phone Call Brings In The Most Referrals

February 23, 2025

Can calls really translate into referrals? Are some more effective than others? When we work with clients it’s easy to go into ‘get it done’ mode. We focus on getting from contract to closing as quickly and smoothly as possible. And to be fair, that’s a big part of what our clients hire us to…

Read More

What if EVERYTHING is Working Out For You?

February 7, 2025

What happens when you have a ‘set back’ ? Does it send you into a tail spin of fear and insecurity? Do you brush it off and move on? Or – Do you view it as confirmation that you ARE on the right path, realize it wasn’t the right opportunity or situation for you, and…

Read More

Don’t Do This Alone

January 24, 2025

I was lucky enough to be invited to mastermind with these amazing agents for a few days this week. We talked business, but it was so much more than that. We talked about being intentional with our lives, the hours we worked, the struggles we face, our investment strategies (owning rental real estate of one…

Read More

Collaboration Over Competition, This Is Your Chance To Learn From The Best

January 17, 2025

What if you could stop over thinking how to run your business? What if you knew exactly what other agents do to attract clients? This is your chance! Season 2 of Secrets of Attracting Clients starts January 27th and I’m super excited for this years line up! We have 12 amazing sessions, all with ideas…

Read More

How Lowering Your Bar Can Help You Reach Your Goals

January 10, 2025

January holds a special mix of big dreams and deep insecurity for a lot of agents. If you find yourself toggling between the two – know that you’re not alone. We usually associate big dreams with big actions. So we make long to do lists as proof of our commitment to increasing our income. Often…

Read More