How to turn your weaknesses into strengths

I've always been a very vocal person, a true epitome of an extrovert.

For most of my life, I've been told to tone it down, not to be so expressive, emotional and loud.

My mouth runs faster than my brain. Sometimes I've gone an extra mile, just to see it was the wrong way, while my friend was looking at the map at the crossroads. 

Being such an expressive person, you can literally see my emotions from my face. Sucha drag at customer service, no wonder I was always so drained when I got home.

I've been said to be stupid, dumb and not responsible, for my character. I also happen to have blonde hair and blue eyes, so I'm a blonde bimbo, right?

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/32000000/Chandler-chandler-bing-32098883-500-377.jpg

It is true that sometimes I do blurt out some stupid lines, but so do we all. I do have a big character and sometimes when I get carried away the shyer person can feel suppressed.

I feel very uncomfortable when I sense a tense situation. I can't handle it. Like Chandler, I try and ease the tenseness by telling jokes.

Most of the time this backfires. Horribly. 

One day I just thought that I should think what I can do with it since I can't change.

Instead of allowing your weaknesses be your Achilles heel why not utilize them?

My weakness was being too expressive, what can I use it for?

Acting. Commercial modeling. Voice-overs. I've got a fluent British accent that I can do voice overs with on top of my native Finnish.

So I started looking for agencies and sending weekly/ daily emails to them.

Within 12 months here's what I've done: 

- 3 voice-overs, one in English

- 2 still photo shoots

- 6 speaker roles, commercial modeling + acting

- 1 (small) movie speaker role

- 3 series where I'm acting

- 4 commercials 
Now that I get to channel my energy out on somewhere, I am ( a little bit) calmer off-screen. I absolutely love performing, and I'm so happy that I just went and tried.

Have you had similar thoughts, as to your weaknesses and, what have you done with them? 

I'd love to hear your stories, xoxo