The world is full of people. An endless sea of faces, all different, yet indistinguishable from one another.
The issue isn't that people aren't unique. Of course, they are, each person is like a snowflake--different from the one before it. At the same time though, society is becoming increasingly two-dimensional. Everyone conforming to the cookie-cutter molds we are told to fit in.
It does not serve anyone, especially yourself, to minimize the things that make you, you. There is, after all, only one you and you are the only you this world is ever going to get. So don't squander your you-ness by hiding yourself from the world. Let your light shine!
Well now you might be thinking, I don't have a light, but I can guarantee that's not true! You just have to explore yourself and find the things that make you a bright light in this world. The things that make you wonderfully unique.
Take me for example, I have my quirks that make me special. I do not own a single pair of "normal" socks. Whether it's robots or sharks or Abraham Lincoln--all of my socks are wacky and fun. I'm also a 21-year-old guy with a minor obsession with musicals, and by minor, I mean a major obsession with musicals. My jokes and dance moves look like they were borrowed from a 45-year-old suburban father wearing a "kiss the cook" apron. All of these things, these weird and wonderful things, are part of what make me, me. As goofy as it is, it sets me apart and it brings some fun and light to the people around me.
So how do you find your quirks? Experiment!
1. Try new things!
Whether it's new food, new music, or new friends; try out some new things and see if you find anything that sticks! Try out some strange and eclectic things--you never know where you might find yourself.
2. Be weird!
Now my "weirdness" is normally confined to my feet, but don't be afraid to let your freak flag fly! Wear goofy clothes, dance in public, wear costumes, stand out.
3. Become the _____ guy!
It's kind of a "high school thought" to think about being the _____ guy. Like, "oh that's the trench coat guy," but this idea means you're doing it. You're standing out. Be the person who becomes known for their things that make them unique. The Japanese culture guy, the politics guy, the underground music guy--whatever it is: own it.
4. Love yourself!
This is really all it comes down to. Love yourself, and the rest will come. Don't let society shame you into hiding aspects of yourself, just love every single, quirky, piece of yourself. Be proud of the things that make you different, because that is the kind of thing the world needs. The world doesn't need a million carbon copies of the "model citizen," the world needs free-thinkers who dance to their own beat. So hold your heads high, you weirdos, and show the world what you're made of.
