What comes to mind when you hear the term “personal brand”? For many, it’s polished logos, perfect headshots, or a slick social media feed. For others, it might bring to mind peacocking—trying a little too hard to stand out. You’ve seen it before: someone who dominates the conversation with exaggerated stories, constantly name-drops, or interrupts to steer the focus back to themselves. It’s the person who seems more interested in impressing you than understanding you—leaving you feeling like an audience instead of an equal. But that’s not personal branding. That’s self-promotion—and let’s be honest, no one really likes it. When you understand and communicate your authentic personal brand, you’ll not only stand out—you’ll build trust, create meaningful connections, and attract the right opportunities.

We’ve all had that strange feeling that we’ve been somewhere or done something before—it’s called déjà vu. Déjà vu is one of those borrowed phrases, like faux pas, carpe diem, and vice versa. They’re the kind of expressions that add a little extra flair, capturing something in a way our usual words often can’t. I had a funny teacher who would intentionally say "versa vice," which cracked me up because it literally means "the other way around." But what if déjà vu was turned the other way around? That’s what comedian George Carlin wondered when he coined the term "vujà dé," showing his knack for seeing the ordinary in a completely new way. #CliftonStrengths