My Unique Brand

Here I am again, with something on my mind. Today I'm thinking about my unique brand, what makes me me.

I was reading a scholarly treatise one day on the Pepsi brand, how they're working with a very conscious psychology to get it just right, in line with the times, in line with their heritage, so it will sell as much as possible. And stand out.

It was a little amusing in one sense, that they were projecting the same philosophy and justifying it in terms of today even for the brand 75-80 years ago, or however long it's been. But it's a great idea, and with enough circles and swirls, pie charts and protractors, you can fudge anything.

But really, who can doubt their word, since they sell an enormous quantity of the stuff. I personally don't drink it, but I liked it when I did. The doctor said to quit drinking Pepsi, Coke, all that, so I did. Cold turkey.

Cold Turkey is probably part of my own brand. If there's any quittin' to be done -- "I'm the boss, I say when it's quittin' time" -- it's quittin' time. Just like that, like the snap of my fingers. It's hard, but there's no use in prolonging the inevitable. Just do it. I quit smoking that way, which also was very hard, harder than quitting soda pop. But I got it done.

Yesterday I was thinking about my exact (or close) double in the world. Of course I'm still thinking about him, since the longing doesn't go away after one day. It long preceded yesterday, and unless he and I get lucky, it will go on long after. I guess that's part of my brand, the longing for things. But I'm realistic enough to know there could be some more disappointment.

I really hate to talk too much about my unique brand, because it's a very personal thing (1), and (2) it just sounds like so much self indulgence. Not that I don't like self indulgence -- I do. But it makes for a nasty public display, because everyone else is so busy indulging themselves that they have very little patience for someone else doing it. I know that's the way it is with me, but I at least yield long enough to check out everyone else's self indulgence long enough to see if maybe one of them is my exact double. Also, beyond that, I think it's a kind thing to do, to let people know their self indulgence is an interesting thing to me. It can be.

That sounds like part of my unique brand -- not unique in the sense that no one else does it, but unique as part of the whole constellation of what makes my brand mine. I stay busy tiptoeing around people's feelings, trying to make connections with them that tells them they're important, interesting, and valuable. Hence also my stepping forward as a self-esteem teacher, one sharing the steps to confidence, and everything concerning my current "Drive-for-Pride."

I wouldn't want to be a lifestyle sciences coach, a spirituality coach, and all the other things that I currently am -- oh yeah, a group dynamics expert -- if I didn't have a heart for the needs of others. So that's my brand.

Maybe the whole search for my exact double is behind a lot of this.