Odd One Out
A lot of my podcast episodes are created around my reactions to things that happen to me, or around me. That being said, I was having a conversation with a few women in business that I had connected with at networking events and meet-up groups. As we were talking, I was pleasantly surprised to realize we were all alike: confident in ourselves and “OK” with who we are.
Sure, some of them were worried about being respected enough to be successful in their business, but since humans are social creature, that is a normal reaction to life’s challenge of being likeable to others.
We all want to be accepted in one form or another.
It’s natural; and to be honest, I have always been the odd one out. Since we relocated so frequently when I was a child and a teenager (22 times, to be exact), in order to move fluidly between social groups, I learned to be more on the “reserved” side. It seems like kids, especially, feel weird about being different, because they have a fear of not being popular or having a core group of friends. So in my experience, I found that my early practice of “self-acceptance” helped as I moved from place to place, as well as being introverted in my passions and hobbies.
I may be considered a “black sheep”, but I love who I am. That’s why I started this podcast – to show people that it’s OK to be different (introvert or not). Being quirky is what makes life fun! I like anime, I am involved in the Pagan community, I watch superhero movies, I like dance, I do aerial, I have my own apparel line…I embrace all of these things about myself. When I was younger, it was a bit harder to find people who accepted me for all of the above, but now that I am an adult, I have found that no one minds. In fact, it’s easier to find friends that are cool with the things I enjoy, whether they enjoy them too, or just support my love for them.
Being different can be tough. It can suck if you haven’t found your place in the world yet. But you will find it! You need to realize that, regardless of your age or journey, everyone is technically “odd”. If they judge you for it, they aren’t worth your time or tears. So accept who you are and be as weird as you want!