Everybody is weird in a good way. Your weird is your superpower. Embrace your weird. Love your weird. Foster your weird. Practice being weird.
A friend of ours told me a story about her son coming home from school sharing his acrostic (the thing you make where each letter in your name has a word associated with it). His name had a “G” in it and after wrestling with the perfect word to describe himself by only selecting words that start with a “G” he told his mom he wrote
A good amount of weird. Amen brother.
I’ve only recently embraced the belief that my weird is rare and good. I’m not talking about the kind of weird that means you collect toenail clippings from when you were in the third grade. I’m talking about the kind of weird that makes you have powers like a super hero.
Click to Listen to Your Good Amount of Weird
Owning my weird
I’ve spent too many years conforming, fitting in, learning the rules and trying to be normal. The problem is within the confines of normal, my weird was hidden. I’ve decided that I’ve had enough with the act. I’m going for weird.
I started carrying a small case of Sharpie markers everywhere I go. I’ve learned that my weird includes the ability to create mind maps, visual outlines. For decades I’ve taken notes or drafted ideas using this visual form. I rarely would share them. No one else was doing this, so I thought I was just weird…not the good kind.
Six months ago, I decided to pull the covers off my weird during a business meeting with engineers. Engineers are not necessarily the most doodle friendly bunch. Taking notes, I busted out my weird bag of sharpie markers and sketchpad. My cohorts used their PC’s or a black notebook. My weird was noticeable.
Over dinner someone made a wise crack “whose arts and craft kit was that”?
What I’ve learned about my weird
I am uniquely skilled at netting down complicated concepts and information into a description that any fifth grader could understand. I thought everyone was good at that. My super power is unique to me. My expression of my Sharpie marker masterpieces will not win many art awards. However, I can take a two-hour conversation, two-year debate or take an intricate puzzle of ideas and construct them into a succinct visual summary.
Go with your weird.
Who inspires me to be brave with my weird?
Amy Dale
Check out The Dale Tribe Vlog. I aspire to be as confident as Amy in being weird. Their “weird” has taken their YouTube channel to 30,000 subscribers in just a few months.