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4th Workshop of our Annual Peer-to-Peer [P2P] Empowerment Online Sessions

Facilitators: Madeleine Hoffmann and Jennifer Shinkai [Co-hosts: Stephanie Napier & Emily Donkin]

On May 29th, FEW Japan hosted the fourth (and last!) session of our 2024-2025 Peer-2-Peer series: “Celebrate Yourself: #IAmRemarkable”, facilitated by the remarkable duo, Madeleine Hoffmann and Jennifer Shinkai. Speaking about our own achievements doesn’t always come naturally. It often brings hesitation rooted in fear or judgement or the belief that our accomplishments aren't worthy of recognition. But Madeleine and Jennifer approached the topic with empathy and insight, making it easy for participants to open up, explore the power of recognition, and celebrate their achievements no matter how big or small. 

Rooted in a global movement launched by Anna Vainer and Anna Zapesochini at Google in 2016, #IAmRemarkable encourages people of all genders, races, and identities to speak openly about their accomplishments and challenge the societal discomfort around self-promotion. As of March 2025, the initiative has reached 700,000+ participants from 130 countries with over 3,000+ active facilitators delivering the workshop worldwide. 

The session began with two powerful questions: 

“Why is recognizing and sharing your achievements important?”,

and

 “Why have you hesitated to share your achievements?” 

These thought-provoking questions led to honest reflections in which participants expressed fear of being judged. But both facilitators reminded us that: it’s not bragging if it’s based on facts and our accomplishments don’t always speak for themselves. 

The session also dug deep into how identity-based stereotypes like race, gender, age, and ability can shape how others perceive our competence. Whether it’s being judged by an accent or being questioned about the achievements of others because of our implicit biases, these experiences lead to internal barriers that create an environment where speaking up can be difficult for some people. As participants continued to share personal experiences and reflections, Jennifer reminded us that inclusion drives real impact.

In a powerful journaling exercise, participants were asked to write down the statement: 

“I am remarkable because…”,

and reflect on either personal or professional wins. What followed was an uplifting round of sharing, where courage met vulnerability and community. Madeleine also mentioned the importance of not only recognizing our own achievements but to also “make it a habit to recognize and vocalize achievements and strengths of those around us.” 

The session ended with practice exercises that participants can carry with them:

• Achievement Tracker: Keep track of your accomplishments. You may create an achievement box to remind yourself what you have achieved/overcome for a rainy day to bring sunshine and a rainbow back to your life. This could also take the form of a folder in your emails to accumulate positive feedback from others or achievements.
• Remarkable Wednesdays: Get a group of friends/colleagues to share an achievement out loud every Wednesday.
• Practice and Act: Continuously review and edit your #IAmRemarkable statements to make them more authentic and powerful. Practice saying them out loud.
• Stretch Goal: Identify someone you’re hesitant to share your achievements with and make it a goal to do so!

We’re deeply thankful to Madeleine and Jennifer for facilitating such a thoughtful and empowering workshop and to everyone who shared and listened with open hearts. The workshop was a wonderful reminder that celebrating our strengths is not only an act of self-acknowledgement, but also a powerful way to build confidence, embrace our worth, and discover just how remarkable we truly are.

Resources:

• #IAmRemarkable Website
• Madeleine Hoffmann: LinkedIn
• Jennifer Shinkai: LinkedIn | Website