Asking the question what are you portraying in life? Are you someone you would take your own advice from? Are you living in integrity with your values?

I had an interesting conversation with a friend awhile back that I just thought of.

In this conversation, he talked about being a brand, and how you want to market yourself to the world. If you were a brand, what brand would you be? And, would you buy that brand? Essentially, you pose the question to yourself as to whether the brand you currently portray is something you would trust, invest in and recommend to others. And if your brand is aligned with your core values and if you’re living from that place.

This conversation pops up in my head frequently, and I often ask myself what brand I am portraying to others, and is this brand authentic to who I really am. What's more, would I take advice from this brand, and would I purchase it? Does this brand align with my values?

Branding and marketing is obviously a common strategy in every business, but taking it a step further into your personal life puts it on another level. When you see yourself as a brand, you start thinking about things differently. Are you consistent, are you trustworthy, are you someone you would take your own advice from? Are you someone you would recommend to others?

Brands evolve with time, but their core message stays the same. I often think of my own core message and what I want to portray to the world, even though it changes. Overall, it's the message that you can not only survive severe childhood trauma, but thrive. You don't have to rely on external factors for happiness, resolution, or peace, because you can give that to yourself. You can build a life you love the way you want to, regardless of what others say, what X group thinks or X group says. And you can do all that with kindness, and integrity.

Let me know the answer to these questions in the comments below:

1. What brand are you?

2. What's your core message?

3. Are you living in integrity with your brand values?