Guest Post: Joana Teixeira

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5 reasons to embrace being different

Oscar Wilde once said ‘Be yourself; everyone else is already taken’ – and he was right! Our physical and emotional characteristics are ours to embrace. Even though the world tries constantly to give us an image of who we should be, it’s good to proudly deviate from society’s standards and own who we really are!

If your body has flaws or your personality has unusual and quirky traits, you have to learn to feel confident with them. Embrace your hair – straight, curly, or worn in a fun way with French braid hairstyles – it doesn’t matter; embrace your scars or stretch marks; embrace your quirky humor or weird taste in music… It’s ok to be different! It means you’re authentic and to accept that will definitely improve your self-esteem, the way you see the world and how others see you.

Own your individuality because it’s what makes you, you. And if you need any more convincing, see below 5 reasons why you should embrace being different:

You become a fuller, better person when you love yourself and this will influence how others love you too. Seeing flaws as imperfections is often connected to negative emotions, so you have to learn to accept these as part of what makes you a unique individual in this world. You deserve love no matter what, but it has to start with you! Appreciate your own self completely, imperfections and all.

Your differences are what makes you stand out! You can bring something new to the world with your different ideas, opinions and actions. Your difference means progress and will definitely help you have a positive impact in the world around you. Because if we were all the same, nothing would ever change.

Embracing your differences will open your life to love and new relationships – everyone around you will also benefit from this. You don’t have to have things in common with someone to connect with them, since differences often complement each other. If you don’t try to cover up your flaws you might find out someone actually likes and accepts them. And you will also be able to teach other people about what makes you different – it might be something they really want to learn!

You won’t be the odd one out – but the odd one in! People who aren’t afraid to express themselves can build a successful path ahead of them, simply because they don’t settle for what’s standard or regular. By doing your own things your own way, you will reach for success in everything you do. Actions like thinking out of the box, not following rules and taking risks will make you stand out in a positive way. You will be rewarded for your difference and for stepping out of your comfort zone!