Finding your Superpower

We are part of an incredible event

happening this Saturday, October 1st.

It is a pop up party event hosted by fantastic swimwear

at the Metatrib lab here in East Van.

We're going to be set up with our jewelry brand,

Leahy our designs, along with an incredible group of local vendors.

There's music, drinks, shopping,

the event runs from 2 to 8 p.m.

and I'll link all the details in our show notes.

So mark your calendar, bring your friends,

and we can't wait to see you and celebrate our first pop up

of the new season. See you there!

Welcome to the voted least likely podcast.

I am your host, Leahyard.

I'm a high school dropout who accidentally became an entrepreneur.

After spending over a decade working minimum wage jobs

having a complete mental breakdown

and losing all confidence in myself,

I somehow started a successful jewelry company.

I am the least likely person to have ended up in the fashion industry.

The least likely person to have overcome crippling anxiety

and the least likely person to have ever had the confidence to share my story.

And I know if you are here, you've likely felt something similar.

This piece of internet real estate is a place for us to share

how we overcame our own obstacles and found a place to thrive.

Even if it was the last place we ever thought we would end up.

We are talking all things related to failure

with a little sense of humor on the side.

It's time to expose the narratives we tell ourselves

and the ones the world places on us.

This is the voted least likely podcast.

I want you to really think about this.

What if the one thing you were criticized for was your superpower?

I believe we all have something wildly unique

and special in us that no one else can do the way we do it.

And I believe it's likely the thing you were once told not to do

or to be less of.

Because the things that make us special,

they often make other people uncomfortable.

When we're little, we're told we're to dial it down,

to be quiet, behave, don't be too much.

And the thing that made me too much when I was little was my sensitivity.

When I was a little kid, I felt the world intensely.

I lived in a very extreme reality where everything was a lot.

And I haven't really grown out of this.

Things still do hit me pretty hard,

but I have learned to manage and filter the impact.

Now, I can see that this sensitivity allows me to value connection,

authenticity and be vulnerable,

which is my true superpower. I can feel things that some people don't,

which means I can see things that some people can't.

That's a superpower, right?

And there was a time I would have done anything to be less sensitive.

Now I realize it is the greatest gift.

So let's explore what your superpower might be.

It starts with your surroundings.

First thing is this, not everybody is going to think it's a gift,

which is why it's important. First,

analyze the people in your life.

Just really take stock of who's around you.

Is the group you're in,

filled with people who celebrate you?

Do feel comfortable, encouraged, and expansive?

I mentioned an episode four that I lived on a lighthouse island with my family when I was little,

so because we lived in such extreme isolation,

I had very limited exposure to other ideas.

I grew up with a lot of judgment of other people,

and this felt really normal to me for most of my life,

but it didn't feel good, and I didn't know the difference.

This is so important, just because something is familiar,

doesn't mean it's right for you.

For example, I totally get and understand

overly sarcastic harsh jokes that are at other people's expense,

because I've experienced a lot of it.

But I don't speak like that to other people.

It's not aligned with who I am,

even though it feels and sounds familiar.

Really look at who and what is in your life.

Does it feel good or does it feel familiar?

When you've taken a step back and looked at the people in your life,

ask yourself this, is there something that I am often

either celebrated or criticized for?

Because it's likely that this is your superpower.

When I did this gut check, I was in my late 20s,

I looked around and realized that I had surrounded myself

with an entire group of people who scoffed at and be little

my vulnerability, and I had been trying to fit in with this group,

and I did that by behaving in ways that made me feel uncomfortable.

I wasn't myself.

So here's an example of what I mean.

If I wanted to start something new and scary,

let's say a podcast, if I told this group about it,

it would be met with uncomfortable silence,

and then judgment and critique.

In fact, I did announce this exact idea to this exact group,

and the moment the words left my lips,

I wanted to sink into my seat.

It was like all the air got sucked out of the room.

I was so uncomfortable, and instead of feeling excited about the idea,

I felt shame.

So as you can imagine, I didn't take a lot of risks

when I had these relationships.

I didn't try new things, I didn't follow my dreams with pride.

In fact, I actively hid most of my business from these people,

which is a little crazy because building my business

has been my life essentially for the last decade.

So for me, not recognizing and embracing my superpower

came down to how little I trusted myself,

and how little confidence I had in general.

I didn't feel worthy of good things,

and I had created an environment with unlimited proof of that,

and people around me that reinforce those beliefs.

It is our responsibility to cheer ourselves on

and celebrate the dreams we have.

None of these people I had around me were bad people.

They just weren't willing to be vulnerable,

and they weren't chasing their own desires and dreams.

When I found people who were more aligned with me,

all of a sudden, the things I was criticized for in the past group

were celebrated.

All of a sudden, being kind, vulnerable,

insensitive, and going after big things and taking risks,

these were seen as achievements.

Once that side of me was honored,

I could really lean into it,

and I started trusting myself more,

and then I was willing to put myself out there more.

I'm still in contact with that past group,

and I'm still judged when I talk about things that I'm pursuing,

but they don't stop me anymore.

I can see that it's just not where I need to be,

or where I'm going to be celebrated.

So to find your superpower, first take stock of who is in your life,

and then see if there is something you were either celebrated

or criticized for, and if it doesn't come immediately to you,

don't worry.

Remember, it took me close to a decade of uncover mine,

and the thing that makes you special, it isn't going anywhere.

It's in you.

So just start by noticing, see where you add something unique.

See how people feel around you.

See what outcomes you are creating in your life or others.

And most importantly, be open to what your superpower might be.

I can't tell you how surprised I was to discover

that the thing I had built been most ashamed of,

turned out to be my greatest gift.

I can't wait to see what yours is.

Thank you so much for being here.

I really hope this episode gave you a boost of encouragement

to follow your own path, even if it's a little unruly

or has a few more weeds than you expected.

I would love if you could share this with somebody important to you.

We never know who needs a boost.

If you'd like to learn more, you can find me at www.liar.com,

and if you want to see a little more behind the scenes,

you can connect with me on Instagram at liar.

And now I will leave you with this.

We all have more in common than we do not.

Be kind when you can, judge less, less often,

and never ever underestimate your own potential.

I'll see you next week.