Hey friends! You’re listening to This Quote Changed My Life, a podcast about inspired action. My name is Tracey and I’m the host of the show
Welcome to episode 83 of the podcast – I’m so happy to have you here! I want to get straight into this week’s quote but first, if you’re new here (hello!) make sure you’re subscribed to my podcast or follow me on Instagram under @makesunshineco so you know when new episodes are uploaded and to also get some Mindfulness & Mindset support along the way. I am a Wellness Coach and a Creative Arts therapist so I’m posting a lot about mindfulness, mindset and creative arts on Instagram. I also have a few printable worksheets and a new video series so you can check it out, via the link in the show notes.
OK! The quote this week is about staying true to who you are. The quote is –
Embrace your weird, it’s what makes you, you.
I think that most of us go through stages in our lives where we feel like we don’t fit in anywhere. Maybe it starts when we first start school and don’t know anyone there, oh and if you ever changed schools when you were a bit older – ooooh wee that can be a really hard transition. I did change schools when I was in primary school (I think that’s like elementary school in the US), and I remember it being like I needed to adapt and blend in quickly in order to find friends. Which I think is probably important in some ways – when your environment changes, you need to adapt to figure out how you’re going to survive this new land.
But I think that sometimes we lose ourselves when we think we have to adapt all the time. And that we need to go with the crowd, in order for people to like us.
I’m sure there’s a part of all of us that you might keep secret – something you think is strange or different, because no one else around you likes the same thing.
In high school, there were a few things I loved that my close friends didn’t – I was a computer nerd (this was in the late 90s, the internet was very very new but I loved creating websites in Geocities and then from scratch!). I loved playing guitar and I think I was the only female guitar player in the school at one point? The first song I learnt was Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Under The Bridge and we used to play Metallica for our music assessment – it was awesome! I loved photography (still do) and loved learning darkroom photography skills.
I look back on my time in high school fondly because I think I was in an environment where I felt free and safe and supported, to pursue these things that were a bit strange for a 15 year old girl, but they were things I really did love.
Fast forward to now, I’m 41 and I think over time as we gain more responsibilities as adults, we lose a bit of what makes us unique. Looking back, I definitely think my 20’s and 30’s where filled with alot of changes – alot of trying new things – then getting into a routine and figuring things out. I remember when I turned 30, I felt really lost – I didn’t know what was expected of me as a 30 year old. As a mother and a wife. Who was I? What was I doing? This was also around the time our daughter was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, which is a rare genetic disorder. I had to stop working full time in web development (see I told you I was a computer nerd, I was in that job for almost 10 years I think), and I became a full time carer and stay at home mum.
The last decade has been really busy with all the medical appointments, making sure all our kids are doing okay in school and everyone is healthy and happy. And before I knew it, I was about to turn 40 and I still felt a bit vanilla and kind of same same as I’ve been the last 20 years – just plodding along trying to fit into what is expected of me.
Turning 40 has been really great – I think they say that when a women turns 40 she starts to be more confident in herself and the things she wants – and I think that’s true for sure. I feel the desire to not waste time in fitting in (I will never be on TikTok and I’m happy about that!). I want to be balanced with my responsibilities, I want to take care of my self properly and I want to pursue the things that make me genuinely happy and curious.
And that to me, right now, is creating art – bad art, good art, new art. It’s drawing in procreate until I fill a canvas and making podcast episodes that come from my heart. There’s probably more things I’ve yet to discover but these are the 2 things that I feel are my ‘weird’ points – and I love it.
Embrace your weird – its what makes you, you.
What is it about you that others around you, don’t do? Something that you love, that is safe, that is healthy, that makes you happy? What is weird about you? I’d love to know!
Come and find me on Instagram @makesunshineco
I am trying to make the video versions of each podcast episode a bit more interesting – last week I had some slow tv type scenes and who knows what will be on screen right now but I hope that you’re enjoying the podcast however you choose to join me.
I hope you’re happy healthy and safe wherever you are in the world – I’ll speak to you next time – stay weird everyone! Bye!!