Being weird is not something many of us lean into, and often we try to avoid it – out of fear of negative judgments and opinions. The idea of leaning into the weird and embracing being weird may be something that makes you shy away.

Rachael on the blog this week, and as someone who has been labelled weird many times in my life, I have discovered the more I lean into and embrace what makes me unique, the happier I am. That’s why today, I’d like to share more about the art of being weird.

What Does it Mean to be Weird?

Merriam Webster Dictionary says that the definition of ‘weird’ is:

• of strange or extraordinary character: odd, fantastic
• of, relating to, or caused by witchcraft or the supernatural: magical

To me, neither of these definitions seem negative – who wouldn’t like to believe they are extraordinary or magical? 

The Struggle of Accepting Your Weirdness

On an individual level, I believe a lot of the difficulty with accepting being weird comes from polarized thinking. Polarized thinking can be described as viewing the world in black-and-white terms, either all or nothing, without shades of grey. You can either be ‘weird’ or ‘normal’, with nothing in between. If someone calls me weird, then I can’t be normal. Often, these polarized views come from how we interpret messages conveyed to us from our families, friends, and society. One of the big messages we seem to get is we need to fit in, we need to be normal, we should try to fit the mold that is “normal”. 

The Pressure to Fit In

I often wonder “what is normal”? How can we tell if something is normal or not? It is very stressful to try to fit a largely undefined mold. A lot of people don’t fit this mold, or – like me – don’t know what it is, and this creates a constant pressure to try to adapt, change, and hide our true selves out of fear of being weird. This is exhausting and can result in social isolation, bullying, self-esteem issues, and can limit career development.

Think about how much more energy and time you would have if you were able to embrace all your quirks and the things that make you unique, rather than trying to adapt to someone else’s mold. Embracing weirdness can increase creativity, innovation, and diversity.

Overall, we should learn to be more accepting of the unique, the different, the odd.

Embracing Your Weirdness

To make big changes, we must start small, on an individual level. Here are a few recommendations to help you embrace your weird:

Self-reflect – This involves examining your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and experiences to gain insight and understanding about oneself. Here are a few examples:

• Spend time reflecting on aspects of yourself that others might consider weird. Ask yourself why these traits are important and how they contribute to your identity. You can even create a list of these unique attributes and note how each one benefits you.
• Practice gratitude by writing down three things each day that you appreciate about your unique traits.

Live Authentically – practice being true to yourself in your thoughts, actions, and values. Express your true self in your interactions and decisions. Here are ways to help you embrace your authentic self:

• Identify your core values. Use these values to help guide you throughout your everyday life.Embrace your vulnerability by accepting imperfections, not only in others but also in yourself. 

• Being kind to ourselves and practicing self-compassion is really challenging. Next time you are overly-critiquing yourself, pause for a moment and consider how you would speak to your friend if they were in the same situation. 
• Surround yourself with supportive people who encourage you. Find people who make you feel safe to be yourself and be that person for others. 

Celebrate Being Weird – Honour your uniqueness and others’ as much as possible. These celebrations don’t always have to include cake and balloons, though I recommend that they do at least once in a while.

Being Weird is a Skill

“The art of” means the skill acquired by experience, study, or observation. The art of being weird, to me, means developing the skill of being unique, different, odd, or magical and embracing your authentic self as much as possible.

After years of trying to fit into a mold that isn’t yours, learning the art of being weird takes practice and work, so I hope this blog kickstarts your journey to celebrating yourself and accepting your weirdness. 

About Dóchas Psychological

Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.

Disclaimer

Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.