Women 'Take Up Space' - Post something you're good at without putting yourself down.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I saw this on twitter recently: you tweet something you're damn good at, without apologising or getting into false modesty.

I was feeling a bit down today reading all the threads about how feminism is too this or too that, too academic or too humourless or not good enough at explaining itself - and I thought maybe it'd be good to have a more positive thread.

Rules: if you post a non-serious 'I'm so good at eating my bodyweight in stale Easter Eggs/procrastinating on MN' type thing, this counts as false modesty and you need to post something else too!

I'll start - I'm a really good teacher.

I am good at learning. And I'm clever. And I've got a good memory. And I'm very good at planning. And sometimes I'm even nice. (Does that sound a bit apologetic?)

I am a very good music teacher for my DC.

I'm a good cook.

woah chris I wanna chop some trees down !

AF, do it! The biggest danger when it comes to chainsaws is that they are so much fun you may find your garden decimated because you weren't sure when to stop :)

I am also generally very practical. There isn't much DIY I haven't successfully turned my hand to (wiring, plumbing, woodwork [destroying and rebuilding], any and all power tools, minor plastering jobs, did some tiling for the first time the other day etc.)

I definitely want to have a go carving up trees with a chainsaw.

I have many trees that need chopping :) you're all welcome to have a go.

FuckYouChris, I used to work for a woman artist who made massive sculptures by carving up trees with a chainsaw, mostly giant chairs. She was supercool!

i'm kicking arse on my university course too equalrites. it turns out i'm pretty good at understanding quantum mechanics

TheCountess, I would love to be able to do that! I don't think my artistic skills are up to it, but I might have to give it a go. I love chainsaw sculpture. It's amazing how intricate it can be when done really well.

I'm very analytical.
I'm a good teacher.
I'm good at sifting through evidence and playing the devil's advocate.

I'm unfortunately also good at picking holes in my own hypotheses.

I can up and move to any country, learn the language easily (I currently speak 5), absorb the culture. Have done it a bunch of times, would happily keep doing it.

I am skilled with my hands: I brew my own beer, bake my own bread, make my own pottery, knit, crochet, sew patchwork quilts...

(I also chop down trees, but with handsaws. And can do other cool conservation work, such as fixing dry stone walls, and weaving a young hedge into something that's going to grow into a dense thicket. Haven't done it in years, though, and I miss it.)

I can also do pretty much any intellectual task I set myself, too. Have plenty of university degrees, all with highest honours. I am very brainy and intellectual.

I am an excellent communicator, in writing and in person. It helps that I have shit tons of empathy, and care about the people I am talking to, and their best interests.

Basically, I am pretty fucking awesome, and am completely wasted on my current job. Which is why I'm getting ready to leave it to see if I can fly solo, and put my skills to some use.

I have a genius level IQ.
I'm damn accurate at diagnosing things with Dr Google

Unfortunately, the rest of the list i can think of are all 'used to' things that i've lost since becoming ill. But it used to be a bloody long list

I'm a good friend

I'm considerate of others and would help anyone, yes even the drunk bloke who'd fallen and cracked his head and was covered in vomit and blood.

I make a great cheesecake

I'm good at cooking for my family, healthy food and like to surprise them with nice treats too.

I love my cats and would give a home to lots more if we had the space.

I have another one, and I want to shout it loud & proud:

I am VERY good at my job.

I sing well and engagingly perform roles in musicals.
I can dance brilliantly and have great rhythm.
I can explain complex medical terms so that anyone can understand them.
I am an excellent public speaker.
I'm a loyal and reliable friend.

I am very sharp; a quick reader of words and people.
I'm an excellent writer.
I have a good eye, particularly with colour: my home and garden and clothes are tasteful but quirky.
I'm a good singer.
I'm very practical, an excellent cook, maker of fancy dress costumes and DIYer.
I'm brilliant at arguments.

Trees. Chainsaw. What's not to like! This is such a good thread. And you are all awesome.

I can drive a tractor and make hay.

I'm a good driver.
I'm organised.
I can put people at their ease, cheer them up and motivate them.
I'm unbeatable at Cluedo

Are chainsaws loud? I don't like loud things. That's why I don't hoover or drill. But chainsaws sound quite a different thing. Less mundane, somehow.

I am a great writer, with near-flawless spelling and grammar.
I have good knowledge of a wide range of subjects, including history, literature, art, music and philosophy.
I am good at mental arithmetic.
I am good at reading maps.
I am good at seeing things from other people's perspective, without devaluing my own.
I have a great eye for colour and style.
I'm a good seamstress and, with a little more practice, could enter the Great British Sewing Bee. If I so chose.

Oooh, that felt good!

Understanding quantum mechanics is pretty awesome Chopper :-)

My next thing is going to be learning woodcarving. I shall imagine my chisels and gouges are tiny chainsaws.

Love this thread.

I'm fairly intelligent
I'm good at maths
I have a nice singing voice
I'm very crafty, good at sewing and making things
I'm good at planning

Uptoapoint, they're quite loud, but if you wear your fancy hat with your fancy ear defenders, it's all quite soothing :o

I'm a good driver, a great present-buyer, an excellent summariser, and a bloody brilliant user of apostrophes. I'm also very good at talking/listening to people who have had bad news.

I am a good friend and companion: likeable, considerate, attentive and reliable. I hear people out and validate their points of view. The judgments that I make (and am asked to make) of others are as fair and supportive as I can get them to be. I am an appreciative, interested audience; I know how to put others at ease and make them feel good about themselves.

I am good at getting out of bed in the morning and starting the day. I have no problem doing most things in moderation; for instance, I am thrifty with money but don’t deprive myself of anything I need.

I have faced illness and other setbacks with more resilience than I expected.

This has been a difficult, fun and thought-provoking task. Thanks, OP. One more thing I’m discovering I can do: read through this thread and be awed by the variety of things that other women are good at, without feeling inadequate that I am not good at them myself.

Is this thread making anyone else yearn for a thread meet-up? I'd just sit and boggle at all the incredible talent in the room :)

I'm very good at Googling. I can get a convincing grasp of most topics in a few hours.

I am excellent at turning a mountain of research into an engaging presentation (used to get paid for it) and nearly always find stuff everyone else has missed or misunderstood.

I can tone up muscles using my imagination Actually, anyone could but few believe it so it counts as a talent, I reckon!

I know more about nutrition than a lot of nutritionists.