Own What Makes You Different

Discovering the Superpower Within

I’ve always felt like we’re the superheroes of our own lives. Not the kind with capes and gadgets, but something even more powerful—our natural-born gifts and instincts. We each have something inside us that comes easy, like breathing. It’s our unique superpower. But here’s the thing: too many of us spend our lives judging ourselves based on the powers we don’t have, instead of accepting, embracing, & owning the ones we do.

There’s a quote that says, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it’s stupid.” Society has trained us to do exactly that—to color inside the lines, conform to norms, and try to fit in at the cost of who we really are. From the schoolyard to the workplace, cliques are formed & originality is often traded for acceptance. Very few exercise their right to stand out authentically.

 If you think about any superhero’s origin story, it’s the complete opposite of societal acceptance. They’re usually rejected by their peers, considered odd, & they feel isolated. Isolation isn’t entirely a bad thing, though; during their isolation period there’s always a moment when they’re introduced to their powers—when something clicks. At first, they’re unsure. Then they begin practicing, honing, & sharpening that gift. Eventually, they find a purpose, usually a calling higher than themselves. They stop crime. Protect people. Save the world. Whatever their power is, it doesn’t appear amongst the noise; it appears when they take a step back & look within.

Once you take note of your natural abilities, you will have to move through three phases in order to find your new flow:

Accept, embrace, and own who YOU are.

Let’s break that down:

• Accept – to recognize or believe in something; to take responsibility for it. (Accept that you have natural abilities.)

• Embrace – to hold something closely, often with affection. to welcome a thing. (Lean into your natural abilities. Fine-tune them.)

• Own – to possess it fully and unapologetically. (Walk upright in who you are. Confidently be who you are and do what you do.)

What Does This Have to Do With Our Powers?

Each of us has natural abilities—things we do without thinking, like solving problems creatively, making people feel seen, or having a vision others don’t. These gifts are so second nature that we often overlook them, or we bury them.

Why?

• Fear – fear of judgment, rejection, or failure.

• Lack of support – maybe we weren’t raised in an environment that nurtured who we naturally were.

• Fitting in – standing out felt riskier than blending in.

• Doubt – we didn’t think our gifts were good enough.

• False Narrative - we let the world convince us you aren’t qualified unless you have superficial credentials.

• Or maybe we didn't see our natural abilities as valuable.

Here’s the thing: some gifts may not seem world-changing—and that’s okay. Your impact doesn’t have to be global to be real. What matters is alignment. That inner knowing that says, “This is what I was meant to do.”

My Story: From Miss Alignment to Ownership

Growing up, I often felt isolated and out of place. I never quite fit in—unless I was leading. I wasn’t “hood” enough for the thugs, not cool enough for the cool kids, and not book-smart enough for the advanced crowd. At home, I stayed to myself out of safety. But I had a knack for business. Though I lacked friends, I always had customers. From selling snacks to classmates to walking and bathing dogs, I knew how to meet people’s needs.

In school we had food fights often, and when the principal banned condiments, I saw an opportunity. I bought BBQ sauce and ketchup after school and sold squirts to classmates during lunch the next day. When the principal found out, he asked to use my bottles—for free. That was my first lesson in paying “taxes” to stay in business.

Since I naturally understood the market, it's no surprise that traditional jobs never felt right. My spirit always felt uneasy, like I was on the wrong path. One day while working at Pizza Hut, the owner—whom I’d never met—walked in. I didn’t even know you could own a Pizza Hut. I had just won MVP for the month, but in that moment, I realized I was meant to be on the other side—ownership.

That’s when it clicked: this is what I’m called to do. It felt like a spiritual reawakening!

Where the Moment Happened

So my question to you is—what comes naturally to you? Not what you're passionate about, but what do you do so effortlessly it spills out of you?

Signs, Signals, and Alignment

On your path, life will always send signs—dreams, gut feelings, chance conversations—that nudge you back toward who you really are. They’re not coincidences. They’re reminders of the version of you that existed before the world told you what to believe. Before the labels, the boxes, and the limits.

From an early age, we're taught to look outside ourselves for answers. We're handed identities—name, race, religion—and fed a narrow idea of what's possible. Society teaches us to doubt our instincts. But the truth is, your intuition is real. The things that spark your curiosity are real. That “random” moment that moves you? Also real. Ignore these signs too long, and you’ll start to feel disconnected, even if everything looks fine on the surface.

Warning: You may not feel qualified to do what is on your heart to do. Just know you don't need credentials to do what you are born to do. People would call me for business advice, and solutions would flow without thinking about it. I didn’t feel “qualified”—but I didn’t need to be. That’s the thing about natural gifts: they don’t ask for permission. Birds don’t study how to fly. Fish don’t take swim lessons. They just do what they’re built to do.

So when life sends you a signal, don’t dismiss it. Lean in. It might be trying to wake you up.

Here are your steps to your own reawakening.

Accepting Yourself & Your Rawness is the First Step

To accept your calling is to consciously say yes to what you already know deep down. It’s choosing to no longer run from it. To accept your path is to stop ignoring the signs. To stop avoiding the feeling that you’re meant for more.

Embracing Yourself is Step Two

To embrace your path is to experience it deeply, like a warm hug from someone you love. It’s not just about goals—it’s about being fully present. When you’re born to do something, you already possess the raw ingredients to bring it to life. Your job is to refine those ingredients.

This is where the work begins. The unglamorous, behind-the-scenes discipline that separates dreams from reality. To embrace your path is to embrace yourself—your uniqueness, your quirks, your truth. When you’re fully in alignment, you no longer seek approval. You stop caring about who’s watching. You just are.

The Final Step: Owning Who You Are

Ownership is taking the wheel. It’s the difference between riding in the passenger seat and driving yourself from Point A to Point B. No one else can make the journey for you. No one else can build the momentum. You have to choose it every single day.

Here’s my final thought: Batman didn't try to be like Superman. Superman didn't try to be like flash— so why are you trying to be like anyone else?

Accept your natural abilities.

Embrace your unique path.

Own your calling.

You have real powers; go within.

Dom,