In my current work contract, I participate in a weekly meeting of my fellow technical writers hired through the same staffing agency. It’s an informal forum to share knowledge, ask questions, and simply to connect. We are an eclectic mix of demographics and technical writing formal education and experience. There are three job levels, and I am one of the senior technical writers.

When I hear my colleagues talk about software, processes, experiences, and the like that I’ve little-to-no clue about, I often compare myself to them, inevitably ending up feeling discouraged. Now, I learned years ago in 12 Step program that the only person I should ever, ever compare myself to is me at different times of my life. In so doing, then I get to see how far I’ve come, and that’s all to whom it matters.

This morning I got an ah-ha about comparing myself, my knowledge, and my experience to other technical writers. Sure, I may not have experience using the markup language DITA, or writing API documentation, which is so greatly in demand these days. And, my degrees may not be in technical communication, a relatively new college curriculum, or in Information Technology. However, I bring my eclectic educational background, my career adventures, and my life experience, along with my innate talents and spirit to the table—and, there is no one else that can do that!

We are each unique, and we each have a place at some company’s table where we can make use of our uniqueness and be of service. There is no reason to compare myself to others, nor they to me. We can each shine our light without our ego (fear, not good enough-ness, etc.) getting into the mix.

I suppose my revelation was the result of reading the following quotes this morning:

“The gift we each bring is unique and unlike any other. It’s a one-of-a-kind gift, which can never even in a million millennia be recreated.” – Dennis Merritt Jones

“The Divine has not incarnated in anyone else in just the same individual way that It has in me. I am unique and forever individualized.” – Ernest Holmes

We are each a unique and expression of Spirit, and yet by being part of It, we are one and the same too: Creative. Powerful. Divine.