Most of us dream about being that unique individual who stands out from the masses. Whether that means making daring style choices or expressing unique opinions, there are very few of us who dream about being conformists who are indistinguishable from our peers.
However, life often gets in the way of our goals to be individuals. Many of us often feel held back by fear and worry about how we’ll be perceived. While what others think does have some importance, it should never be the deciding factor in how we live our lives.
If you want to live your best life and be true to who you are, here are some tips on how you can stand out in a crowd without losing sight of who you really are.
“Standing out” means different things for different people. For some people, it’s about what’s on the inside and the importance of having unique opinions that you’re not afraid to express, even when they aren’t always popular. For others, it’s about style choices, be they as easy as wearing a pair of funky sunglasses or as complex as getting a large, unique tattoo.
For some people, standing out style-wise isn’t preferable. Sure, the people who adorn themselves in eye-catching and original ways should be admired for their guts, but that doesn’t mean that the people who prefer mainstream fashion choices are somehow inferior. If you try to force yourself to make style choices that you don’t really love, you’ll end up feeling worse, not better.
Do a little soul searching and figure out what standing out means to you. Remember, this is supposed to be about personal expression, not about forcing yourself to be something that you’re not.
Frequently in life, the thing that holds us back the most is an inflated concern with what others will think. There are some people whose opinions you should really value, such as your close friends or family members. However, worrying about what the population at large will think of you is simply no way to go through life.
Learning to place less emphasis on what others think about you is no easy task, especially if you’re plagued with some level of anxiety. However, it’s a useful challenge to assign yourself. Remember, the criticism that someone might launch against you says more about their insecurities than it does about your personal expression.
The next time you feel worried about expressing yourself due to how others might react, pause and really think about the worst thing that could happen. If a stranger reacts badly to one of your style choices, it’ll be ultimately insignificant since they’re a stranger to you. A lot of times, the worst case scenario that you imagine in your mind is much worse than how things will actually play out.
We tend to avoid standing out from the crowd due to a lot of fear. However, if you ask any senior citizen what they regret, chances are that they won’t answer “being true to myself.” We only have so much time on this earth and it’s important that we strive to make the most of the time we do have.
The next time you find yourself obsessing about whether or not it’s a good idea to make that bold style choice that you’ve secretly been dreaming about for months, ask yourself if doing so will have any impact on you when you’re 90-years-old. Chances are that you won’t find yourself lamenting your decision to dye your hair pink when you’re in the nursing home.
If you follow these tips, you can express yourself better and let go of your worries about how you might be perceived. Try to have fun with your personal style and be true when expressing your own unique opinions and ideas.
