2021 is a good year to start being weird. And by weird we mean being yourself.
(Originally posted on letsgetweirdusa.com)
We all envy that one smooth guy at the party who looks comfortable in their own skin. The personable co-worker who can hold a conversation with any employee, no matter their department. The quirky friend who seems to always have a joke ready to crack and is okay being the butt of some of them.
What all these individuals have in common is that 9 times out of 10, they’re not trying to imitate someone they’re not. They know who they are and they’re proud of it.
Don’t be fooled, you don’t have to be a stylish extrovert or handsome jokester to be authentic — although coping a Let’s Get Weird USA tee would instantly upgrade anyone’s fashion game.
Being an individual means being true to yourself. It means being weird.
So drop the judgmental voice in that noggin’ of yours and follow these 3 steps to start being yourself:
1. Accepting Who You Are (The Good, the Bad and the Weird)
The first step of self-appreciation is, not surprisingly, a little bit of self-realization. In order to be yourself you have to know who you are. Understanding your values and the things you like. Do a little self-reflection and figure out all the little things that make you different.
What sports teams would you die for? What’s your favorite sushi roll? Why do you like Nickelback so much and what’s your favorite song of theirs?
Once you understand what makes you —YOU— we can move to step two (and yes, I’m a rhyming genius):
2. Expressing your thoughts (no matter how outlandish they may seem)
Now that we have a solid foundation for everything you enjoy and believe in, its time to share that newfound information with the WORLD! Well not really the entire world, but being comfortable enough to express yourself no matter the people around you.
A lot of the time, people retract in social situations or when providing input in discussion because they fear of being judged by others. We often hold back because we are afraid of the possible consequences — consequences like them thinking we're weird.
But that’s the thing about being yourself. Being weird is the goal. It’s the whole point of being yourself in the first place. Its how you be you.
So next time someone brings up the topic of music, don’t feel afraid to share your affinity for Miley Cyrus’s new Plastic Hearts rock album. “Night Crawlers” with Billy Idol slaps, and you know it.
3. Stop Taking Yourself So Seriously
The last step to being yourself is to sometimes sit back and not take life so seriously. Now don’t get me wrong there are parts of life that should be taken with absolute solemnity like:
* Abiding the law.
*Making your mortgage payments on time.
*Never adding pineapple on your pizza
But those are few and far between.
If it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life is short. My wish for you is what I strive to do each day: Intend to live life to the fullest, taking every opportunity to experience joy and happiness – even amid sadness, trouble and pain.
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Overall, by implementing these three simple tips into your daily life You’ll start to become the person you were meant to be. So embrace your inner weirdness because lets face it, everybody’s a little weird.
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