Freshman year—with my hair straightened to perfection—I walked down the halls of my high school and desperately tried to blend in. I would spend first through eighth hour perfecting the art of "basic,” making sure that my voice was never too loud and my jokes were never too weird. I was so naive about life and everyone around me that I genuinely believed that I could, and would, get lost in the two hallways of my small high school. To say that things have changed would be a major understatement.
Four years later—with my wavy hair that I sometimes forget to brush—I proudly dance down the halls of my high school (without getting lost). While waving a vegan cake around in the air, all eyes are on me as I scream that it's my friend's birthday and encourage everyone to celebrate with us in the small hallway. Hours later, I was challenged by my friend not to talk for the rest of the class period and I willingly accepted, but after 15 seconds I gave up because I just had too many stories to share. Oh, and in seventh hour I told a joke that only I thought was hilarious, and I loudly laughed at it with pride.
I use to be afraid to stand out, and I numbed all my quirks. Now, I take pride in them. I love the fact that I talk fast, loud, and way too much. I am a huge fan of jokes, and I am no longer scared to laugh alone at them. I am not afraid to argue against the whole class in order to stand up for something I believe in, or to call someone out for their rude comment. The things that people use to make fun of me for, are now my favorite qualities. Everything that I use to not like about myself, I have now embraced. I was once timid, but now I am bold.
Now, don't get me wrong. There is power in being an introvert, and there is power in being an extrovert. It would be an injustice to label one as simply better than the other. However, regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, I encourage you to completely and full heartedly embrace it. Too many people fail to realize their talents and gifts, simply because they are too afraid to stand out and make a big splash. In all honesty, who cares? Yes, it’s definitely not easy to embrace the parts of yourself that you might not be too fond of, but in the long run it’s so much easier to learn to fall in love with these qualities than to wish them away.
I have a whole lot of spunk and a whole lot of sass. For the first time in my life, I don't see this as a bad thing. It takes guts to stand up and be yourself. There aren't many people out there who can say that they embrace every single quirk and talent that they have to offer. So, in my signature fashion, I loudly encourage you to be one of those people. Don't be afraid of having an audience. Maybe switch things up and dance down the aisles of the grocery store, or don't. Speak your mind. Heck, send that freaking text. Whatever you decide to embrace, do it proudly, and always remember to be bold.
