Your difference is da bomb!

​Message for today:  Don’t try to be different. Just know that you are.

Being different is finally starting to become cool. But in the way of this world, which I frankly find annoying, people are still trying to sell to us that there are ‘right’ ways and ‘wrong’ ways to be different. The ‘right’ ways will trend, be popular, and bring success. The ‘wrong’ ways won’t. Basically, that kind of thinking forces us to miss the point entirely and sends us in the opposite direction!

It keeps in play a weird subliminal message that whatever is different about us, is not the kind of different that is valuable. If someone else doesn’t see it, it doesn’t count.

I recently conducted a 4-week writers workshop, and I was very pleased to see that the participants were ready to just let it flow without trying to sound a certain way… then I noticed something odd start to happen.

As they started reading each other’s work, some of their writing subtly started changing and sounding a little more like each other. Now, not that this is wrong! In fact, it’s impressive they have that ability in the first place. Being able to adopt other people’s tone or ways of expression is actually a HUGE talent – hello ghost-writing skills!

But what I did notice is that in the appreciation of the unique talents of others, they were dampening unique elements in their own writing that I for one had been very excited and inspired to see coming through!

It made for some really cool conversations during the course, with people realizing that when they willingly acknowledge and appreciate their own differences more, the can be inspired by others without losing any part of themselves.

It is great to share insights, to grow and learn from engaging with each other; to add ideas, tips, tricks and techniques to our personal toolkits. I am doing it all the time, and I am insatiable in this area!

Whatever we do learn should be an addition to what we already have going for us. Your inherent difference (that you often don’t easily see or value) is as much a contribution as the differences you admire in others. When you truly value your difference, no matter how 'un-different' it feels to you, everything you add can be an addition to your greatness, not a replacement. 

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