“It takes nothing to join a crowd, it takes everything to stand alone.”
When I speak to a Junior school, I ask them to embrace their uniqueness, I tell them to hold onto what makes them different from everyone around them, I make sure they know that one day their uniqueness will set them apart from everyone else- it will become their strength.
As children- we want to fit in, to be uniform to all other children, we try to look the part, to be accepted- we push down our differences. Its only when we spread our wings later in life, perhaps on a job application or in our circle of friends- we desperately seek to have something that others don’t. We want to stand out, to be different from others as this is what will set us apart from the crowd. You are the only version of yourself, in a world full of so many others.
Be Authentic.
Be the best version of yourself. And proudly be authentic to what makes you happy. Life is actually not a given and is very short- each day be what you want to be and be it proudly. Take time to figure out actually what it is you love to do. We are the result of what we do. Imagine yourself as a tank, and in order to be happy and full of life, the tank needs topping up- what tops your tank up?
It’s extremely easy to get caught up in what other people do, or what is ‘normal’ and in particular its easy to worry about how others perceive you. Perhaps if you are your ‘authentic’ self no one will accept you or judge you. And that’s actually okay. For example I have seen some ‘courageous’ fashion choices, I used to think wow she looks weird or what on earth is she wearing? Now I actually see a girl who wears what she loves, she is confident about her choice, and she is bold enough to stand by her choice. I applaud her!
To be so happy in your own ‘authentic’ self that you only worry about your perception- there’s calmness and beauty in that moment.
Be Confident.
Everyone will always have an opinion, and that is what makes us humans, we have or own thoughts and opinions. It would be impossible to get everyone to agree on a particular answer- we are all from different backgrounds, education, cultures- taught differently. So its okay to be you and your opinion is just as valid as others- it may just be different. The key to accepting ourselves and others, is to listen and value another’s opinion- regardless if you agreed or not. I like the phrase ‘agree to disagree.’
Be confident to be yourself, whether that be voicing your opinion, your fashion choices, your likes and dislikes, your life choices, your relationships- learn to be confident that you can stand out and do what’s best for you.
Be Thorough.
Sometimes reacting on a whim can be the best choice ever! Not too much contemplating your next step, or caring for externals factors- but I like to be thorough about the big decisions and exhaust all avenues before a make a choice. I do this because I know that way I’ve really analysed all options, and if I make the final decision, it will be the correct one. In every decision you make remember at that moment in time you decided what you thought was the best way forward. You were thorough in committing to the choice, and confident at that moment- you cannot ask anymore of yourself.
Being thorough allows us to have certainty in our decisions- it helps us have confidence in ourselves.
Be Humane.
This to me epitomises everything we do in our lives. Be humane. I often am faced with situations and I try to bring my best self to the moment- i aim to be kind, caring, considerate, and non-judgemental. Quite regularly I place myself in another person’s shoes and wonder for one moment how that person maybe feeling or their reason why for acting a certain way. If you can learn this skill it changes your perception about being unique and having your own differences. Life would be boring if we all acted, spoke and did the same things. Embrace others differences as it is what helps us growth as a species. We evolve.
Next time you find yourself judging someone- for a moment place yourself in their shoes, and try to understand them- allow yourself a different perception- you might be surprised.
Be Bold.
Next time you question yourself about being you, or doing something that might not fit in- really think about it- being yourself is refreshing and as long as you aren’t harming anyone else by your choice- be bold. Have the courage that you will succeed, you will be happy and you will stronger for standing out amongst the majority.