Be inspired by Annette

Why you should trust your strengths

I

got to know Annette when we both attended a Happiness at Work training in Copenhagen. Annette is like a fine bottle of prosecco, sweet and full of bubbles.

Her positivity rubs off and when you leave after having met with her, you’re full of energy and hope.

Annette is an architect, but a couple of years ago, she changed career path and is now a Chief Happiness Officer and Motivational Trainer.

She knows not only how to build houses, but also how to build happiness in the workspace and enjoy life. She sees herself as the lovable kick in the butt.

I met with Annette to tap into her wisdom and learn where she gets all that bubbly energy from.

You studied and became an architect, a career that many dream of, what made you change your mind?

After the studies, I started my career at a smaller architectural company. I designed homes and holiday cottages in Graubünden (a Swiss Canton and holiday dream location). As it was a small company, I got to do many different tasks and activities, but I had almost no client contact. I missed the exchange with other people and therefore decided to move to a larger company. There I got to work as a project manager. However, as it was a larger company, everyone had their area of responsibility. Although I met many people, and got to travel, I missed being creative and innovative. In both these positions, I only got to use a limited number of my strengths. I realized I wanted to work in an area where I get to leverage all my skills.

When did you understand what your passion is?

In one of the leadership trainings that I did, we had the opportunity to do a personality test. To me that was like a revelation. The test confirmed not only my strengths but also my weaknesses. I finally saw black on white that I’m not the odd one. There are in fact several others that think the same way that I do. I just hadn’t met that many of them until then.

During that training, everyone got a color assigned to them that illustrated their personality. We all tagged our colors to our chest. Again, it was such an eye-opener to me. I finally understood why I get along better with certain people, while I sometimes have more difficulties to read others.

What is one of your superpowers?

I don’t let myself think too long about negative experiences. I tend to forget my mistakes, with the risk that I redo them.

What are your struggles and fears?

It is important to me, that people like me and that I’m appreciated. Even though I do understand that not everyone can like you.

I am afraid of refusal. That I’m not taken seriously. I sometimes suffer from imposter syndrome. My recipe to overcome my fears is to actively ask for feedback. Only that way I know what to improve and can become better at what I do.

What have you learnt?

Your strengths don’t lie. If I am able to do what I enjoy doing, it is also much easier and less stressful.

With all my objectives, independent if it’s an objective to accomplish or to quit something, I use the S.M.A.R.T formula.

S – specific

M – measurable

A – achievable

R – relevant

T – time bound

Where do you get your energy from?

I meet people and read a lot of books that inspire. I too have bad days, where I want to remain in bed. When one of those days approaches, I give myself permission to have a bad day. It is okay. Whatever is bad today will be gone someday. If not tomorrow, then maybe the day after that. Everyone has highs and lows. I am confident that I will come out stronger, because I have a clear picture of how my future is going to look.

How do you define success and how do you celebrate it?

To me success is to be able to leverage my strengths and skills. Especially if it has a positive impact for someone else. I see courage and understanding as success. To be honest with myself, what I want and can.

I write down my successes daily. They don’t have to be huge. If I have been able to make someone else smile, I consider that an achievement and a small success.

I can’t keep success to myself. I have to share it with someone, so I usually meet or call a friend to celebrate it with. I also give myself a break. Allow myself to recover and not do anything.

Do you have any role model?

I admire other women in my network. What they do and how they follow their strengths and passions. I think it’s important though not to forget that role models are also humans. Not everything they do, they do perfectly well.

If you could talk to your younger self, what would you tell her?

When I was 18, I chose between studying to become an architect or a psychologist. I noticed that there are things that come easier to me than others and decided to go down the architecture route.

I would tell myself that before you make your decision, take a personality test and get to know your strengths.

Creativity is really important to me. But, on the job as an architect, you get to spend so little time to be creative.

What are your next steps?

I’m currently working on defining my own brand and to make the connection between my education, experience and passion clearer. I’ve realized that what I am and do inspire others. I tend to be visionary and am able to help others defining their vision too. I enjoy finding the perfect solution to accomplish their next life goal based on a thought, an idea or the desire for change. It’s like architecture. It all starts with a vision and in the end, when you look at the finalized building, you see the result of all the hard work you have put in.

Annette also gave me one of her famous lovable kicks in the butt when we first met in December. She shrugged and said,

I don’t worry about what I will do ten years from now. I do this now because I love it.

To me, that took a lot of pressure off my shoulders and made me realize that we don’t need to plan for a decade ahead. It's so much easier and fun to do things you love. Your love might change, and that is okay too.

If you want to learn more about Annette, I suggest you visit her homepage and follow her on Instagram @happinessarchitektin