I used to hide how I grew up. Many of the childhood norms of my coworkers were so much different than my own. I didn’t want them to see me as “less than” because I grew up in a low-income household. Free lunch all the way.
As I age, I realize the skills and beliefs that make me a high-quality marketer and employee are the same ones from my childhood. I imagine these same qualities are in others who grew up similarly. If it’s you, take some confidence. And if it’s not you maybe it’ll help you to see the value in people with a different background than yours.
Here are a few skillsets I’ve gained from growing up poor:
My Resourcefulness is Unmatched
As a child, when I was hungry, I’d tell my mom and she’d say “there’s food in the house”. She was right. There was just nothing I wanted to eat. Mostly cans of chili and soup, frozen chicken and mixed vegetables, apples, something my mom called cold cuts and a few basics. We never had premade foods like my cousins. Everything we had needed to be made. The cereal needed sugar, the chicken needed seasoning, and the bread needed jelly. What we did have was all of the ingredients to make a great meal.
So with the help of The Food Network and my grandmother’s guidance, i’ve been cooking on my own, from scratch for my entire family since about age 7. Now, as a professional, I’m great at using what’s available to me to drive projects forward and create the unimaginable.
Budget Management
My mom was all about making her money stretch. With convenience at the bottom of her list, she’d explain unit pricing when comparing brands to get the best buy. Rarely enjoying the convenience of a Lean Cuisine or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It saved me a ton of money in college and now I manage a budget like no other. I get the most for my dollar and save money from outsourcing.
Grit
I subscribe to the belief that “every setback is a setup for a comeback. It’s never been easy. But I’ve had faith and stayed positive.
Marie Forleo said, “everything is figureoutable”. I was taught to always ask questions. And, I’ve found myself using other people’s life experiences to strategize my own success. My shameless curiosity has allowed me to learn beyond the curriculum. Asking questions has helped me to push through even the toughest situations.
Compelled to be Innovative
The sci-fi channel was always on in my house. Xena, Stargate, Star Trek, all of it. Now, I see it as an escape from reality but as a child, it gave my imagination permission to soar. When faced with a problem my brain works like a puzzle to figure out a series of creative solutions. If you’ve ever worked with me, you’ve “seen my brain going”. In so many of my professional and personal relationships, I am the solution-finder. A leader in a non-leadership role. Which I’ve found is a culmination of many of the skills I’ve learned growing up.
Normalizing My Skillset
With these strengths came a weakness that I am still working through. Normalizing my expertise. It’s been explained to me often that a large part of my skillset is divergent thinking. I know now, It’s a sought-after talent that elevates every position I accept. And unbeknownst to me, an uncommon one too.
My “poverty skills” and my God-given skills make me a commodity in the marketing field. But, I’m inherently humble and often accept less than my expertise is worth. So YES, I’m working on walking away from situations that don’t serve me.
In the meantime, I’ve decided to appreciate my childhood, accept the good and bad and stop devaluing my work. And, you should too. On the other hand, if you’re so lucky to find a person with a similar background, value them.
