Weird

• “Old English wyrd ‘destiny’, of Germanic origin. The adjective (late Middle English) originally meant ‘having the power to control destiny’”

• “an odd, eccentric, or unconventional person”

Although we all belong to the same species and have somewhat similar influences, we are still individuals with our own experiences and perceptions of life. We are pushed towards distinct hobbies, we react differently when facing the same obstacles, we dress with all sorts of colours, patterns and shapes.

I think our differences are one of the most fascinating aspects of human existence, however our world is fast-paced and judgemental, people are subjected to chronic stress and end up living their lives in survival mode. Our instinct tell us that we need to fit in to survive, that we must look the same, we must run when others run, and we must fear the unexpected, reject the odd.

We pass these values down to our children. “Careful, you’ll get muddy!”, “That dress doesn’t go with those boots”, “Don’t eat with your hands, it’s rude!”, “Oh dear you mustn’t snort, or take your clothes off, or sniff, fart, burp, or talk to strangers, just hold it all inside”. “Hold it”. “Inside”.

We’ve all been weird and wonderful once, but we have slowly become boxy and samey and predictable, fearful of rejection. We learnt, without noticing it, that we are not good enough and that we must pretend, follow the crowd, fit in!

But what if we created a world where people belong, instead. What if we could run and play and shave our heads, speak our minds, love without boundaries, ditch dress codes. Can you imagine a world where being our true selves sparked curiosity instead of segregation, a world where we were encouraged to look within instead of seeking external validation?

My proposal today is that we all try and tune into our inner child now and again, to cherish our quirks and celebrate our differences, to note what really makes our soul vibe, and to be proud of it. To try and go against our indoctrination and not only be more tolerant towards difference, but to encourage it.

Let’s stop surviving and start living, one trapped little weird soul at a time!