What Are You an Expert In?

I am an expert at spotting satellites in the night sky! I can look up at the sky at spot a satellite almost immediately, every time.

These comments are so great. I’m an expert at my job and in my industry. Its taken me a long time to realise this let alone say it out loud/write it. I too had the fear that it was too bold too absolute to say something like this. But only a handful of people have my expertise and experience, if that. Thank you for making me own it. I’m also an expert at remembering things people tell me about themselves. Noticing subtleties about people. Seeking to learn new things I love going on short courses, reading books or listening podcasts to learn something new

I’m an expert at peeing under any circumstances. While baby wearing, in the woods with other hikers coming down the trail, very dirty public toilet seat (I squat!), with company and commentary from a 4 year old…

also I wrote I’m an expert at children’s books, meaning at writing them! I have 4 picture books out in the world right now and it took a lot of work, persistence, and grit to get published & where where I am today :)

Im an expert at holding hands. Seems likes a small gesture, but I can hold someone’s hand and make their whole world feel exquisitely loved and safe.

I have been told I give great hugs, and am a “dog whisperer”. Even dogs that “usually hate people” end up in my lap or pushing their little noses into my cheek by the end of an evening. I also am great at leading teams with an empathetic approach, and I make fantastic cheese boards.

I’m an expert in listening empathically, in being creative and tenacious with solving problems, in cooking food that will work for different people’s dietary requirements, in staying up and reading really gripping books, and in finding metaphors that chime with other people or my experience!

I’m an expert at sleuthing out answers! I’m an expert at reading the room and being an open person
that people feel safe talking to. To use Anton’s phrase, I’m a god at explaining complicated insurance concepts (I’m an underwriter).

I’m really good at choosing gifts!

But yes, echo all the comments about how women always tend to underestimate themselves and not give themselves enough credit for all the things they are good at and all the things they do!

“Although they were doctors and professors and scientists, none of the women could bring themselves to say that they were experts in their fields. It felt too bold, too blunt, too absolute.”

This is so sad to me. As a female in a male dominated industry, I know that we often work twice as hard as our male colleagues to get anywhere and when we do speak up, there is often someone telling us we we are lacking to get to our goals. Confidence is something I still struggle with at 42 years old.

So here goes, I’ll give this a try. I’m an expert at (1) cooking delicious meals with whatever is in the kitchen, (2) connecting with the quiet person, the outcast, or the person no one is listening to in the room and (3)being practical

I’m an expert at coffee shops. I have visited and tried every one in our area and any area I’ve lived in and will search them out when I travel. I have many recommendations!

I’m literally an expert in Kids and Youth Ministry, my day job that I think I do really well. I’m also an expert in my 15 y/o sister- we’re 12 years apart and I’ve been caring for her every day of her life (I love this expertise!) But I’m also naturally great at remembering names and birthdays, incredibly fast and skilled at Canva design, adapting recipes to be gluten free, and understanding proportion and scale in interior decorating.

I’m an expert at:
1. choosing the perfect paint colour for any room
2. parenting my two kids (only mine, though – I make no claims in terms of general parenting expertise)
3. writing. I should have put this first. I’m a great writer!

I’m an expert at feeling the energy shift in a conversation and making slight tweaks to allow people to exit/ change topic. also I pride myself on carrying all shopping in from the car in one trip with my brute strength.

I’m a human gps, I find it very easy to find my way in new cities and orientation in general. I’m an expert computer user and I’m really good at problem solving. I’m also good at finding great recipes for sweets, even if I don’t love baking. There was a comment saying how we’re sometimes experts at things we don’t enjoy and that’s the one thing I’m great at but don’t enjoy. I’m also an expert in teenagers, I get them and they get me, which works great as I’m a teacher.

I’m an expert at getting a set list at the concert— it doesn’t matter where I was standing during the show either. I’m so good at it at this point I do it just to give it to the person who is a bit more timid to get knee deep in my art form of getting the set list.

PS I’m also really unnaturally good at remembering people’s birthdates!

My daughter just told me tonight I am NOT an expert in teeth (after I told her we don’t need to floss every night) and that the dentist told her in fact she does. I often am telling her she is not the parent to her younger siblings, so she’s definitely put me in my place when I try to make medical related calls (“Mom, you are not the doctor” when I hazard a guess at what the pediatrician will say). I asked what I am an expert in, and she said tennis. I did play as a kid, but by no means am I an expert in that.

This conversation hits hard as I just attended bridal shower and as a super social stay at home mom, especially after covid-era lockdown of last two years, I often feel so unaccomplished when I talk with women who are both mothers and also have had a 10+ year career (length of time I would have been working by now had I not stopped after having my first baby), and I feel so in awe of how insightful and incisive they sound. Meanwhile, I pride myself on being endlessly curious and a dedicated book reader, but I just don’t have the knowledge and expertise cultivated over years of doing something professionally. In any case, what I am most proud of being an expert at currently (and I think this will change over my life), is being a parent and talking to and relating with and teaching kids. I love kids (mine and others) so much since becoming a parent, and I was never the consummate babysitter as a teenager (clearly I was honing my tennis skills at that time! ha ha!).

So I’d like to remind myself (and anyone else needing it), we’re all different and we do have different strengths and that’s what makes the world so cool and exciting, and people so interesting, at least to me.

I’m a food prep wiz. I can pull a multi course meal together in record speed…daily.
Playlist queen bee, ask anyone who was gifted tunes for their vacation/trip. Music is on 24/7.
Green thumb since the dirty-hands age of 5. Green is my happy place.

I’m a physician but somehow my first thoughts about areas of expertise were “gently listening to toddlers” and “managing curly hair.” My true area of expertise, in which I am highly trained and capable, is the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic diseases in adults. Looking at the comments, so many have shared wonderful skills (as was my initial inclination) but fewer have touted their true expertise, which would be so empowering to read. I wonder if this is because women tend to minimize their own value, because of the steady erosion of belief in experts, or a multitude of other reasons. This community is so impressive; I want details!

I am an expert at explaining complicated things to people in a way they understand. I’m also an expert at planning vacations, and excellent at using online reviews to find delicious restaurants *even in overtouristy areas.* (And to echo a previous commenter – I left a job because I was being ignored / gaslit and they told me I was a troublemaker and I’ve now just had a HUGE promotion after three years with a company that gets me. Their loss!)

I’m overweight, so I’m an expert in diet advice. I’m also an expert in dog breeds (I almost memorized the AKC breed book when I was young. So now I just need to study more the “new” adds to the book). I’m a good cook. I am an expert at editing — and breaking the rules in casual social media posts. I’m good at diagnosing people (but they should always go to a doctor anyway).

I’m a whiz at remembering people’s children’s names. Second cousin in England’s three boys? Got it. Old college room mate I haven’t seen in 25 years’ sister’s kids? No problem. My Mom will call me to ask me the names of so-and-so’s children (old family friend’s third son’s two kids) and I can nail it.
I don’t remember adult names, but I can pull kids names out of nowhere.
I’m also kick-as at parallel parking. Recently I parallel parked a rental mini-van and it felt like I’d won an olympic medal, I was so proud of myself.

I’m an expert at:
Measuring things without a tape measure. To the inch.
Finding misplaced objects that my family can’t find.
Packing the trunk of a car with loads of stuff.

PS the dog in the photo of this post is a Manchester Terrier :)