SYSEAS: Lesson 23 – Embrace Your Individuality

Living authentically entails going past accepting yourself and actually loving who you are. A good start to this process is to embrace your uniqueness.

Maybe you feel discomfort about being so different from everyone else. Or perhaps you find yourself similar to others to the point that you believe you’re boring.

Either way, it’s time to recognize that your special variety of character traits combine to create a one and only, very unique you.

Although there are many ways to embrace who you are, check out these strategies to open your arms to the amazing individual you are:

1. Take note of your habits. What kind of habits do you practice? Do you floss your teeth every night and consistently wash dishes as soon as you dirty them? Is your bedtime and time for arising always the same?
   
   
   1. Understand what’s important to you by noticing the behaviors you routinely do. In a sense, your habits are your “trademark.”
      
      
2. Describe your personality in detail. A wonderful technique for embracing your individuality is to think deeply about the type of person you are. If you had to describe yourself to another human being, what words would you use?
   
   
   1. Maybe you’re always in a hurry or like to keep a very clean house. Perhaps you have a lot of friends and are quite gregarious.
      
      
   2. Write down your description of yourself and be as thoughtful and thorough about your personality characteristics as you can. You’re worth the time this strategy will take.
      
      
3. What is so great about you? Of course, you have your own special blend of positive qualities, like being a good listener, having a good sense of humor, and being dependable for others.
   
   
4. Identify your biggest struggles. What challenges you? If you’re ever stumped about how to handle a situation, describe those situations on paper. Getting a handle on what taxes you the most increases your self-awareness.
   
   
5. Work to improve how you handle your biggest struggles. Yes, identification is great but tackling each challenge one by one to experience success in those areas is very important to do for yourself. Why? Because you’ll see that you can overcome anything you set your mind to. Delve into self-improvement to learn more about the unique person you are.
   
   
6. Remind yourself that you’re a decent human being. In order to embrace your individuality, you must accept who you are. Learning to love yourself and take yourself as you are is a great aid to loving and encouraging others. Sure, you have flaws, but who doesn’t?
   
   
   1. Keep in mind that recognizing you’re okay doesn’t mean you can’t work to improve. In fact, accepting your foibles and less-than-perfect characteristics can help you improve.
      
      
7. Vow to embrace who you are each morning. It’s a new day. You have opportunities to experience discoveries about yourself and who you are. Consider the unfolding day as a venue to keep learning more and more about yourself.
   
   

Actively work each day to love your individuality. Notice your habits. Stay in close touch with the elements of your personality. Know what is great about you as well as what kinds of things vex you.

Celebrate Your Quirky Side and Thrive

We all have quirks. Maybe you collect vegetables shaped like movie stars or love to recite Old Norse poetry. Discover more freedom by learning to accept yourself and the idiosyncrasies that make you special.

Benefits of Celebrating Your Quirky Side

1. Live authentically. You can make your own decisions instead of going along with the crowd. Spend time on activities that are meaningful for you, regardless if they’re viewed as quirky. Let your genuine nature shine through. You’ll attract friends who appreciate your true personality.
2. Boost your confidence. Feel comfortable with yourself. Take pleasure in who you are and what you do. Be driven by your passions regardless of whether they match the current trends.
3. Develop your skills. Your quirks may be trying to tell you something. Use them to identify your natural talents. Maybe you have a flair for needle work or electronics.
4. Become more tolerant. Coming to terms with your own peculiarities can help you to be more open-minded about those around you. Show your support for a coworker who is learning to play the harpsichord or training for a hula hoop competition.
5. Enjoy free entertainment. Your quirks can provide more amusement than cable TV. Feel free to laugh at yourself. Invite your friends to join you.
6. Manage stress. Your odd habits may also offer clues about constructive ways for you to relieve the stresses of daily life. Do you find yourself turning to music or cooking when you feel anxious?

How to Embrace Your Quirky Side

1. Examine your eccentricities. Distinguish between strange habits that are harmless and those that may be creating difficulties for yourself and others. For example, binge drinking may require professional intervention. On the other hand, repairing clocks is a rewarding hobby.
   
2. Accommodate others. Even if your quirks are innocent in themselves, you may need to limit the exposure for others. Your spouse will thank you for whistling in the shower instead of at the dinner table.
   
3. Turn down the volume. Quiet time and solitude will help you get in touch with your quirky side. Find out what you like to do when no one is watching. Observe how you tackle challenges or organize a complex task.
   
4. Look back in time. Thinking back to your childhood can also be revealing. You may find that you have hidden interests that go beyond your professional or family life. Have you always loved cats or been fascinated by machinery?
5. Question conventional wisdom. Independent thinking triggers all kinds of breakthroughs. Your innovative approach to a project at work could create a better customer experience or reduce processing time. Your friends may be inspired by the novel way you tie a scarf or how you clean your bathroom.
6. Broaden your experiences. Having the courage to be original can lead to adventures. As you try new things, you’ll increase your knowledge about yourself and your surroundings. Your personality will grow richer.
   
7. Develop informed opinions. Keep in mind that some opinions are more valuable than others. Elaborate reasons for why you prefer red cabbage over green is probably unnecessary. On the other hand, be prepared with facts if you want to persuade your boss to try your unusual filing system for monthly invoices.
8. Lighten up. Most of all, relax and let go of rigid expectations. There are many ways to be an outstanding parent, friend, or neighbor. Follow your quirks to design the path that best suits your unique abilities.
   
   

Quirks make you more interesting and accomplished. Celebrate them! Independent thinking opens up more opportunities for you. Use your quirks to expand your future.

Embracing your individuality will enrich your life in ways you can’t imagine!

The next few lessons in your journey toward living authentically will show you several more techniques to help you embrace the awesome individual you are! You’ll learn to trust yourself as you stop seeking the approval of others. You’ll believe in yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. And you’ll learn to love yourself inside and out!

The next lesson will show you how you can avoid approval-seeking behaviors.

Here’s what you need to do today:

Take note of your habits. In your journal, make a list of your habits.

Which ones are helpful?

Which ones do you think you might want to tone down to accommodate others?

How will you do this?