How many blankets do you need before being in a frozen tundra doesn’t feel like an alternate form of hell? I’m kidding. Well, kind of because it is really cold, and supposedly Mother Nature is set to have a meltdown. But I’ll believe it when the snow starts piling up. We know how meteorologists are with the insane predictions and then you get a couple of flurries. Someone needs to hand men a ruler because their estimate of inches is wildly off the majority of the time. But we did make it to the longest ten years of our lives, also known as January. Someone needs to do a study on why January lasts seventeen lifetimes. Because lemme tell you it feels like 10,000 years by the time February rolls in.
I have officially
eaten all of the candy canes and put the Christmas tree away. Surprisingly it fits
back into its box which is just seven levels of weird. I don’t think I’ve ever
had one fit into the box so I wasn’t sure if I should be proud or disturbed. Regardless,
I taped it up and popped it back into the closet where it will live for the next
year. It did however require me to move 5 gazillion pairs of shoes to do so. So,
if you see said closet mind ya business and leave my shoes alone. I also need
to bring the four pairs of shoes that live under my desk at work home. I don’t
need them home but I’m sure the cleaning crew thinks I live there. I did find the
hoodie I was missing it was buried on my desk. Did I bring it home? Nope, I
forgot it and probably buried it again but that’s a Monday issue.
I was walking
home one day this week when a stranger gestured to my face smiling. I’m sure I
gave resting bitch face in return because I was deep in thought. Listen my face
doesn’t ask for permission and does its own thing. It took me a second to
realize they were pointing at my lips. I’ve had viper bites for a while and I
kinda forgot that they’re there. So, when people point them out it reminds me
that it's not the most common thing where I live and work. There’s something to
be said for being the weird one. People always think standing out is a bad
thing but it’s actually a good thing. Being able to authentically be yourself
is a really freeing thing. Societal rule requires everyone to look acceptable
to the majority. They treat people who are different like they are this weird anomaly.
But do you want to know the truth? Those people meeting societal expectations
wish they dared to be who they authentically want to be.
Being the “weird
one” is often something people are envious of even if they pretend it isn’t. There
are a lot of people who are afraid to be that free-spirited person who marches
to the beat of their own drum. My boss and I had that conversation recently.
People tend to count me out because I look different, and my boss said something
I thought was pretty cool. I was telling him that a certain group of people
were finally starting to realize I am a smart girl. He said that’s why you
should never judge a book by the cover because sometimes you miss the novel. He’s
so right. By judging people based on the way they look you miss some really
great experiences. I’m really lucky that my boss has always been one of my
biggest fans. Even when I was interviewing, he didn’t think twice about my
facial piercings. He’s in his 60s, religious, and fairly conservative himself
but he for whatever reason enjoys watching me impress people.
He also
thinks I’m hilarious but mainly because I’m always happy and joking around. I
mean let's be honest you can’t be on this many psych meds and not be the chilliest
person in the room. So, I think to a degree I balance the team out because I’m
the easygoing one. I’ve always done this and probably always will but I’m the
first person to compliment other people. Not in a “look at me” way but because
I know what it’s like to be an outcast from the time I was young. It’s never
fake. I love building other people up because they deserve to love and be proud
of themselves. I’m forever thanking people and pointing out their strengths.
Life is hard enough without tearing each other down. You don’t have to all look
alike to genuinely support each other. You can enjoy someone’s uniqueness
without trying to squash that part of them. We don’t have to be who everyone
understands. It’s okay to be the person people don’t completely understand. Not
understanding someone doesn’t equal judgment, hate, or any belief in them being
less than unless you want it to.
Not everyone
is going to love you but that’s not your problem. I think I’ve said this recently,
“Be a good person but don’t waste time proving it.” Standing up for what you
believe in and setting healthy boundaries doesn’t require approval or
explanation. Wearing what you love doesn’t mean other people ridiculing you
should be something you should expect. Your personal style doesn’t mean other
people should treat you badly. As much as the people in my life love me and my personal
style some people hate it and that’s okay. Being mean isn’t okay and shouldn’t
be something other people have to tolerate.
It’s 2025. Be
the person that you wished you would have been when you were younger. There’s
no time limit on changing and evolving as a person. If the people disapprove of
who you are that’s on them and their expectations. You aren’t responsible for
other people's feelings or thoughts about your body and what you put on it.
That’s all them. What is yours to do is be loving and accepting of other
people. Don’t be the asshole of the friend group who is always negative and
talks down to people. Cause that’s not being a friend, that’s being an enemy,
and no one needs that person in their life. Your dose of “reality” is your
reality and doesn’t have anything to do with the person anyone else is. Maybe
try to learn about their reality. You never know you might just like it.
Go forth and be the amazing badasses you are. I slept in so I'm going to go forage for lunch and be a badass afterwards. 😁
~Until next
time, be good to each other.~