Lifestyle

Let Your Freak Flag Fly: 5 Ways To Own Your Weirdness, Not Shy From It

by Kathryn Kvas
Stocksy

I’ll be honest here: I’m extremely weird, so maybe this article is biased.

Seriously, though, no one successful was ever really that normal. Not only that, it takes extreme guts to be weird, and to use that weirdness to your full advantage. Weirdos are loners; they’re made fun of, called crazy and ignored.

Look at Robin Williams: He was bullied for being the short, fat kid in school, but he used his oddities to his advantage, even if his demons caught up with him in the end.

In fact, most famous people were bullied for being different at one point in their lives: Lady Gaga, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Jenna Marbles, Gandhi -- if you want to go there -- were all weirdos.

So, if you’re labeled “weird,” don’t fear. It’s probably a good thing.

You need to use your weirdness to your advantage. It takes confidence to be weird because it means people will make fun of you, criticize you and laugh at you. To be weird is to be exposed, naked in front of a crowd and all that other “I’m so vulnerable,” metaphorical bullsh*t.

Of course, just like all the talented writers, singers and artists out there who never get famous, there are also many mediocre weirdos floating around, oblivious to the powers they have buried within.

So, here’s how to hone in on your weirdness, and use it to your advantage. Maybe, one day, you’ll be a huge, raging success and you can mail me some money, or at least a picture of you holding money. Either one works.

1. Don’t confuse weird with douchebag.

This is a big no-no. The art of weird does not correlate to “Haha, dude, I’m weird AND drunk so I’m going to pee on your living room wall.”

Speaking of drunk, you can’t just be weird only when you’re filled with liquid courage. You need to own your sober weirdness, too.

2. Stand up for your weirdness

To paraphrase Kermit the Frog, it’s tough being weird. No, but, really, it is. As you might know by now, many people find it hard to accept those who are different.

Just like anything else that strays from “normal,” people will try to beat the “weirdness” out of you. They may do this, literally, by punching you in the face, or they might just berate, tease and ignore you until you’re “normal” again.

The point is, being weird sucks, sometimes, but if you own who you are and never back down, those around you will love you for it.

3. Never shy away or try to hide it

This is by far the biggest tragedy I’ve seen weird people commit. The weird pops out, wants to say hi to the world, have a good time, and what do they do? They stab it in the heart and bury it somewhere no one will ever find it.

Please don’t do that.

Weird is a character trait, and whether you like it or not, it's part of who you are. If you try to hold it in, you aren’t being true to yourself, and that’s the worst thing you could possibly do.

Your weirdness is special and beautiful, something to be treasured and loved. If you nurture the weird, it’ll grow as you do, and you’ll be able to use it in ways you never thought possible.

Just trust me on this, and don’t hold back.

4. Prepare for a different lifestyle than most people

Maybe you decide to investigate ghosts for a living, or move into a hut and paint pictures of flowers; it doesn't matter because your life won’t be the same as anyone else's.

Many people won’t understand you, and the hardest part is, some of them might be people you really love, like your family or your SO.

Again, stay true to yourself, and always remember that it’s your life and you only get one. Do what makes you happy; be selfish and don’t look back if you don’t have to.

5. Stop giving f*cks

This is probably the hardest thing to do, and no one will ever master it completely.

Simply put, the less f*cks you give, the more you let your weird thrive. The weirder you are, the happier you are since you’re being yourself. That’s the ideal situation, anyway.

Of course, I find that I change depending on the setting I’m in. When I’m at work, I get to be as weird as I want, but if I’m with my family, I find that if I don’t tone it down a few notches, they’ll get a bit overwhelmed.

As much as I’d like to, I can’t tell everyone who doesn’t accept me to f*ck off.

In the end, just be true to yourself; ignore the “haterz” as best you can (wow, I just said that) and understand that everyone’s quick to give advice. You just need to pick the advice that’s right for you.

Good luck, weirdo. Make me proud.

Photo Courtesy: Tumblr