"The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been." [Albert Einstein]
There was a time when I tried to hide. Essentially, I had attempted to conceal my very core entity in the hopes of fitting in. I took on mannerisms of other people. I thought to myself: "if that's how they behave, then I need to do exactly that to blend in." That mask was clearly more transparent than I had originally hoped. Society kept asking why I was different. They saw my inherent, personalized characteristics and called me out for them. Yes, I'm an effeminate male with a feminine flair. The point is: I need to be that because that's who I am. I can't change that, just like I can't alter my height or ethnic background. Despite my attempts to conceal myself, my purest self still found a way to be illuminated. I needed to embrace the very core entity of who I am because that uniqueness is the gift that was given to me. My uniqueness is the very gift I give to the world... in whatever manifestation that might ultimately mean. It took plenty of time and plenty of self-reflection, but the ultimate realization that needs to be learned is:
YOUR UNIQUENESS IS A STRENGTH!!!!!!!!!
No matter what anyone else says, being honestly You is the very most powerful thing you can do. No more denial. Okay?! Even those who might not want to admit it, know it. In business, in marketing, they use the word "branding" to refer to the individuality of one's company/brand/product... and guess what, you can do it too! Too frequently, we revel in celebrities who wear quirky clothes and trend-bending hairstyles and think to ourselves: "I love that, but I can't pull that off." I'm here to say that if you love it, there's a part of you who wants to be it. So be it. Go ahead and experiment with the various thoughts of your individuality. Have fun. You're allowed. Life is a celebration anyway. So celebrate you. Celebrate your knowledge of You. By nature of being a fully realized Self, it is our inherent talent to challenge normalcy. As you continue with your day/week, compose a list on behalf of the following question: "In what ways do I challenge the definition of normal?" Then see how many you can come up with!
"Anyone who knows himself is never disturbed by what others think about him." [Buddha]
In my journey, I learned that I was seeking approval from the wrong people. Too many of us worry about not fitting in because we have allowed ourselves to become convinced that the lives of others are the ways in which our own lives are to be. This is not always true. The only approval what should ever matter to you is your own. Therefore, it becomes our journey to create ourselves. We need to take time, make time, and find time to construct our fully realized selves from scratch! Utilizing the trends of others, using their mannerisms ... these are acts that are no longer allowed in the minds of the creative self. Are you paying attention? You are unique, and that's what makes you amazing. Did you know that?! You are amazing. You are fabulous. You are fantastic. You are above the ordinary. So go ahead and shine today.
"As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
[Maryanne Williamson]
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