For years, individuals have felt the need to fit in with the rest of the world to feel happy, but on the inside they were crying to escape. The pressures of fitting in comes with a great deal of unnecessary stress and tension – leaving people to believe it’s the "new" normal.
The pressures of having the right friends, wearing the right clothes and doing what everyone else does, are all anxieties of needing and wanting to fit in. When I was little, I always wanted to fit in with the crowd, especially since I was shy.It was hard for me to make friends and I didn't want the added pressure of being different as well. I wanted people to like me and wanted to be like everyone else, but I soon realized I would never be like everyone else because I was unique.
When all the girls wanted to start dressing nice for school, all I wanted to do was wear a hoodie, shirt and jeans. When most girls wanted to start wearing high heels, I wanted to buy Jordan’s. When most girls wanted to try on make-up, I wanted to catch up on the latest sports. Eventually I had no nothing to relate to with the girls and I found myself out of place.
I felt so out of place – I decided trying to be a “girly-girly”. I thought maybe if I "pretended" and "tried" to "dress up" and wear make-up I could at least start a conversation that wasn't about sports, but I didn’t feel like myself. I felt strange and pressured to act like someone that wasn't me at all.
I would always ask myself, “Why am I not like most girls?” and “What is wrong with me?” However, when I became older I understood nothing was wrong with me and that I was just unique and different from most females.
I was a female that loved sports and didn't care too much about the latest fashions.I often thought it would be easier not to express what
my favorite things to do was because females would probably think I was
foolish and guys would think I was lying. I was stuck in the middle of a sandwich and didn't know what to do, but as time moved forward I understood trying to "act" like the girl who loved to go shopping was a waste of time.
I wouldn’t change the person that I am today for the world. I love sports, I love wearing sneakers and I love wearing hoodies and feeling comfortable. It makes me unique and I tend to always stand out when I show people the real me, even if it does come as a surprise. It’s boring doing what everyone else does. What’s the fun in that?
I wasn’t meant to fit in with the crowd – no one is meant to fit in with the crowd. I was put on this Earth for a reason and I plan to stand out every second I have left. I know God has great plans for me and I won't live my life by pretending to be someone I'm not.
