It’s easy to give simple pat advice. I know I’ve heard it all. You probably have too. As someone who has had challenges with mental wellness the most common is to “just be positive”. Not to mention social media sites abound with any number of aphorisms and quotes meant to comfort or perhaps inspire. I think that there’s still a small store in one of my local malls that specializes in motivational prints for offices. Beautiful nature photographs with moving quotes from famous people from history all professionally framed and ready for hanging in bland waiting rooms and near water coolers and pots of terrible office coffee.
I’ve found that while people often mean well, they also are often at a loss for words and rather than admit they don’t they what to say, much less how to say it. In an effort to help they fall back on unfortunate cliches or worse ill-suited and ill-informed advice. If you are like many of us, you have tried any manner of boiler plate ideas, techniques and advice. Hoping to navigate through many a challenge in your life, you give the suggestions a try. Even when your intuition say, skip it. You may have even found those efforts successful in the past, even if only occasionally or temporarily. Well buttercup, that was then, and this is uncharted territory. And that dear friends in the rub.
So, I’m going to offer a different suggestion. Not a prescription. Nor a description. Something for you to consider. A thought to sit with for a time and see how it feels to you. Deviate. That’s it. That’s all Deviate. If you’ve tried all the other sure-fire solutions and guaranteed resolutions and no dice. Deviate. (NOTE: This does not mean abandoning your professional team. They’re the Alfreds to your Batman. If you’re in therapy, taking medication or getting medical treatment that is not what I’m referring too) There may be a very good reason that none of those old so-called tried and true answers are working for you.
Consider this. If you are a totally unique induvial. Is the life you are living unique to you? Is advised path (if you will) that works for most going to be the one that works for you? Or is time to chuck the old think, leave the well-worn path and chart a new trail all your own? Think on it. Meditate perhaps. Pause and Ponder for a bit. Because sometimes, when all else fails…Deviate.
Riddle me this…If you were to be a supershero or superhero would you be like everyone else? No! Why is that? Think on it, I can wait. Is because, just maybe, because Different is their Superpower. Now, choose your superpower. That’s right CHOOSE. You get to write your own story. Be your own Stan Lee. Choose the Different that will empower you. Convention isn’t working for you, anyway, right? So, what how about gene-bending plot twist. Swap the Doldrums for the Dynamic. Change the Positive to Powerful. Make the common Irregular absolutely Irresistible!
I’ll leave you with this question. Do truly want them describe you as “just normal kinda gal” on headstone or in your eulogy? If you just felt a bit of clinch, it your gut at the very thought, why? Don’t get me wrong, I love having healthy mind. I take my meds. I have own team of Alfreds. They’re all part of the deal. But I embrace every my quirkiness too. It’s my weirding way. It’s my superpower. No one but, no one has called me normal. And I’ll be damned it they write it on my tombstone.
Thrive Laterally, Live Wyldy & Stay Quirktastsik for Lyfe