Embracing Our "Flaws"

Stoooory tiimmmmee.

So when I was a pre-teen/teen, I hated my hair. Straightened it every chance I could, avoided situations where it would get frizzy, wet, etc. for fear of my “awful natural hair” – or at least that’s what I told myself. (Dats me below :)!)

I wanted so badly to have stick-straight hair so I could manage it better and not deal with the struggles of my own natural hair texture.

I can’t tell you what initially led to this belief, but looking back I think it might have had something to do with the need to feel “normal” and accepted. And I’ve always struggled for that, but in some way or form, I think we all do.

Let’s go on a deeper level now. The inside, our personality, what makes us who we are.

For me, what makes me “different” on the inside is my sensitivity. I’ve always felt that I experience everything on a hypersensitive level, and I’ve often felt very misunderstood because of it. Others, and myself, have mistaken my sensitivity for weakness in the past. There are still many days where I curse myself for feeling so strongly about x or y. But the more I think on it, I realize I wouldn’t be willing to exchange it for feeling any “less” than I do.

Feeling deeply is a superpower, and picking up little details in other people and your surroundings can be exhausting, but it’s one of my unique traits that I can finally find some pride in. As a kid, I hated my hair, but as an adult, shamelessly grew out my hair and let it be its wild self. What’s your unique trait? Physical and/or mental?

P.S. – having a unique trait doesn’t mean we’re the only person in the world that has it. It’s just that little speck of glitter on our personality, or that little flair to our external beauty.

I think it’s so common for us to hate what makes us different in childhood. It’s uncomfortable and we don’t quite grasp that what sets us apart is what actually makes us interesting, unique, and great. But as adults, can we all take a moment to appreciate what’s special about ourselves? Love it, embrace it, and most importantly, flaunt that shit to the WORLD.