I used to panic while reading facebook. I’d read through the updates and see the photos from friends and acquaintances and fill with anxiety at our stark differences. The parent of a child in my daughter’s class would post about the hottest fashion trends and pictures of  34 “must-have” bracelets or scarves for the season. Pictures of friends in little sweater caps were enough to aggravate a sleeping ulcer. Polenta with bacon jam, trip after trip to fancy schmancy wineries, and quote after quote about “love my little fam.” plagued my mind. It wasn’t me. It isn’t me. And that sorta freaked me out.

The madness didn’t end with social media. Real life was just as scary. On a field trip with my kiddo to the pumpkin patch, I began to look around at the other moms. I swear they were ALL wearing designer rain boots. Had I missed something? Was there a memo sent home about having to wear expensive and brightly colored rubber footwear? What was wrong with me? Why oh why was I wearing my old Adidas? Panic. Sweating. What the heck is wrong with me?! Why wasn’t I the same as everybody else?

I had to stop and recognize that I didn’t need to be like anyone else. I am a unique creation. I made a choice to be okay just being Bekki. I didn’t need to try to be someone else to “fit in.” The only space I can fit into is shaped just like me. It’s when we try to be something we’re not that we begin to have problems.  It’s time to put away our Kermit the Frog complexes and fully embrace who we are.

We are the sum of all of our gloriously quirky parts. We are the hodge-podge of likes, dislikes, interests, and hobbies we possess. We are our weaknesses. We are our strengths. Each of us has a unique set of giftings and capabilities.We are wonderfully (and thankfully!) different!

You see ladies, this life is NOT about conformity. It isn’t about fitting in or forcing yourself into a certain mold. There are NO laws or rules that say you have to say, do, think, or believe anything you don’t want to. It’s time to stop worrying about what makes everyone else special, and realize how incredibly special YOU are.

Figure out who YOU are, and OWN it. I want you to start off the new year by blooming where you are planted and accepting who you are as a person. Treasure your idiosyncrasies. Relish in your quirks. Delight in your scrunched up nose, hair that won’t curl, love for bargain shopping, and slight obsession with 70’s music (or whatever “your deal” happens to be!)

You can’t fully embrace this life and love the people in it until you are okay with being YOU. (And I’m here to tell you….you’re pretty darn great.)

Make the choice. Stop comparing yourself to those around you. Pledge with me today to claim who you are.

 

*We will be exploring ways to become BETTER this month, as we seek to lead happier, fuller, more abundant lives. I hope you’ll join me on this journey!