Just forewarning, but this post will be much more introspective than what I usually write, so I apologize in advance if my thoughts seem a bit disjointed.

After writing my piece last week about tattoos, as expected, I got the bug to get more ink. As I sat at the kitchen table and scrolled through ideas on Pinterest of what I should get next, I kept hitting a mental wall. When I asked my mom for advice, seeing as she has many tattoos that perfectly reflect her life and passions, she replied, "Just get something that embodies you. Get whatever you're passionate about!"

That sounds simple enough, but after she said that to me, I realized I could not think of one thing to tattoo on myself that would describe "me". I have a tattoo that represents my love for nature, one that doubles as a tool to calm my anxiety, and a quote from my mom. Beyond those however, I could not think of anything that could represent me as a person.

This spiraled into me having a minor "who am I?" existential crisis, and it was alarming to realize that I couldn't think of anything I was passionate about. I love hearing about my friends' passions. I have friends who are die-hard basketball fans, friends who live for their photography, and friends who spend all of their free time dancing. These passions drive their every day habits, and the light that exudes from their eyes as they speak about these aspects of their lives is something I truly admire. I realize now, however, that I have always admired it because I was jealous.

I will be the first to admit that I am terrible at sports. I have no depth perception or hand-eye coordination, and usually find my spot either sitting on the bench or in the middle of left field picking grass. My photography skills don't go beyond my iPhone camera, and only one out of the twenty pictures I take is guaranteed to not be blurry. As for dancing, well, my friends have seen me dance at parties. It's not anything to write home about.

Because I have never seen myself as "good" at any of the hobbies my friends have excelled at, I have had a warped perception of myself for a good part of my life. I have been the first to write myself off before even starting, resulting in many missed opportunities due to a lack of confidence in my own abilities. All I wanted when I was younger was to be good at something (something conventional, that is) that would make me feel special and important.

I never realized growing up how much self-sabotaging I was actively participating in. Each time I told myself that I was lame because I got an 88 instead of a 90 on a test, or because I got benched more than I played in a volleyball game, I was slowly chipping away at who I really was.

I can look back now and say that I do have parts of my life that make me special. It may not be a hobby or passion of mine, but it shaped my life immensely. I did not grow up in a conventional way. Being the daughter of a musician, I spent most of my young life carrying guitar cases twice my size, selling CDs and hanging out with only adults. I grew up in hotel rooms, casinos, bars and clubs, and acted as my own teacher when we were on tour. I was given so many incredible opportunities to see the world, yet did not appreciate them.

All I wanted was to have a "normal" life. I wanted my parents to have normal nine-to-five jobs. I resented having to leave school for weeks, hang out with adults instead of my friends, and fall asleep in corner booths in bars instead of at sleep overs like normal 10 year-olds.

But, when I tell people about my childhood, they all think it is amazing. So many people tell me how envious they are, and how they wish their parents had been that cool and given them so many opportunities to experience life, real life, at such a young age. The tired cliche of "those who have curly hair want straight hair, and those with straight hair want curly hair" has never been more applicable. I have seen that even the people who had the life I always dreamed of are still able to envy mine.

I had a major epiphany this week about my own self-identification, and it all comes down to changing your paradigm. I believe it is important, no matter what background you come from, to wear your life story as a badge of pride. I am who I am today because of my upbringing. I was born into a band and grew up on the road. That is a unique part of my life and character, I just had to dust off my metaphorical life glasses in order to see it.

Your life does not have to be conventional for it to be great. It is the perspective in which you view your experiences that makes all the difference. Whatever your story may be, make sure you tell it proudly.