#oneaday, Day 265: Skill Points

Take a minute, now, to take stock of yourself. Specifically, take stock of the skills you have. And don’t say that you don’t have any. Everybody has skills of some description, whether it’s the ability to make the perfect Angel Delight without the use of a measuring jug, the ability to excite women simply by looking at them, an understanding of the various wires, pipes and bendy things that make up a car engine or being able to do something awesome like play the piano.

It’s quite a strange experience to suddenly be conscious of your own skills. But there are times when it happens. It often doesn’t happen when you’re young or lacking in self-confidence. But at some point in your life, something flips a switch in your head and says, “Hey. You’re awesome. It’s okay to think that.” Not in an arrogant way, simply in the sense that you can picture a task in front of you—be it making said Angel Delight, exciting said women or… you get the idea—and feel confident that yes, you probably are going to be able to pull that off.

You know you’re at that stage when you casually mention something you’re doing to friends and they’re all “Oh wow! That’s so awesome!” and you’re all like “Yeah, whatever.” and then they’re all “No, SRSLY, that’s AWESOME!” and you’re like “Really?” and they’re all “Yeah!” and you get all proud of yourself and then a bit guilty that you’re feeling pride because it’s one of the Seven Deadly Sins after all and you don’t want to end up in a field shouting “WHAT’S IN THE FUCKIN’ BOX?!” and finding spoilers in the spoiler. (Yes, I know the Statute of Limitations was up on Se7en years ago.)

But it’s actually a pretty cool feeling. Particularly when you realise that rather than being someone quite a way down the “pecking order” of “talent”, whatever your skill might be, you’re actually pretty high up, and that people know that, realise that and respect you for it.

My skills that I’m most proud of? (Hi, Satan.) Music and writing. I’m sure there are ways I could improve both. I know for a fact I’m not as good a musician as many of my peers and friends, for example. But I’m satisfied with the skills I’ve got, I’m an awesome accompanist and my sight-reading skills are the stuff of legend. Amongst musicians. Who tell legends about sight-reading.

And my writing: if you’re reading this, take a look at the number at the top. 265 days. That’s how much I love my writing. 265 days of wanking on about bollocks, at least 500 words at a time. Some of it is bullshit. Some of it is profound. Some of it is non-descript. But I like all of it. I see some trusted friends, peers and colleagues being so very hard on themselves and their writing sometimes. And it actually makes me glad for once; while there are many things I would like to change and/or improve about myself, my writing is the one thing that I generally find myself feeling happy and satisfied with and, dare I say it, proud of.

So take a moment the next time you have a free second. Put down that celebrity gossip rag, that chocolate eclair or that tube of personal lubricant. Think about yourself. Think about what you’re good at. And take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back. Well done. You do a great job on that thing you’re really good at.