Growing up, I always wanted to be different. I loved finding the latest fashion finds and making them my own. Looking back now, this characteristic had to come from my love for playing with Barbie dolls and Bratz dolls all throughout my childhood. They taught be that fashion is passion and that you need to be 100% authentic to you!
Tweed Jacket (similar) || Leggings || Loafers || Bow
The older I get, the more and more I find this task of being different harder to do. Being different can sometimes make you stand out…..in a bad way. Being different can sometimes bring lots of questions or back-handed comments. Walking the halls of my school, I get asked weekly why I dress a certain way. If I wear heels, I almost always get the comment of “I can hear you coming a mile a way”. I always wonder, what is the intention behind what people say?
Especially with teaching, it can be really difficult to “go against the grain”. People have an expectation of you and how you should be. The fact that I blog and showcase my life on a public platform makes some a little uneasy. How could I do this? What if my students watch? My reply is always, “I have nothing to hide!”.
Going against the grain can make one popular, or make one become obsolete. Especially with social media now days, the only posts that are seen are the widely trendy, “everyone is wearing and posting the same thing” posts.
So, why go against the grain? It’s okay to be authentic to you. In moments where I might question myself, I always feel this gut feeling that has to be from God. I am uniquely myself….and someone in the world needs that. The only times I become unhappy with myself is when I compare myself to others. I like my unique career path. I like my style. I like that I might have different aspirations that make others nervous. And, at the end of the day, who are you living your life for? Others, yourself, or for God? God has 100% uniquely wired us for different things, all for His glory. Are we silencing that Call for the satisfaction of others or for our own comfort zone?
What do you feel called to do? Is it “against the grain”?
