Hi, Karen - excellent post:)

I like everything you highlight as strategies to confidently and assuredly promote yourself.  Your starting list of self-sabotaging thinking and acting is right on.

I do have a question about one thing:  This "Unique Value Proposition".  Maybe I am just being too literal here, but I have always found this difficult to do.  When I see the word "unique" or the phase "sets you apart from everyone else", I freeze up, because I cannot imagine any value, attribute, behavior, or trait that is truly "unique".

I do believe that my blend of experience, education, and attitude makes me very competitive and a stronger candidate than many others, but "unique" is a word I just cannot use in reference to myself.

You mentioned asking trusted advisors for their input and I will do that ... but I cannot imagine them identifying something completely unique to me.

Am I being too literal?  Have I had too much coffee (if there is such a thing) this morning?   Any thoughts?

John