beingdifferent

How diverging from the norm opens new possibilities

What if we consider being different more valuable than being better than the others?
Let’s focus our attention on worth rather than popularity. The actions we take, the choices we make, the interactions we exchange–and even the things we buy–are all influenced by value. In all this, value is the key.

“Is it worthy?” – This is the question we need to ask.

Conforming to the standards is not what we want. Fashion, beauty, learning, lifestyle standards and all the ideas of the majority, are not for us. There’s a lot of appearance in that, but little value.

People live as if being part of the majority is the cool way to be. Indeed, they talk like others, dress like others, eat what’s popular. Perhaps they don’t have to think that much doing so, conforming requires less thought and less effort, giving them a sense of belonging and protection.

But, the sense of belonging can also be found in smaller communities. In fact, like-minded people can connect to share their vision of the world, which doesn’t necessarily have to align with the majority.

Consider that being different offers its own sense of beauty. A rare object, just like a rare person, is valuable because it’s scarce, uncommon. And it doesn’t need to be like the others. Standardization is not what we are looking for. Little treasures, that’s what we want.

As our beloved Virginia Woolf has pointed out:

“Large groups of people are never responsible for what they do.”

Taking a different path is not easy; it takes courage. But, choosing to be your unique self and holding yourself accountable is a powerful act.

Responsible fashion means holding ourselves accountable for what happens in the short and long run. It is a conscious choice, serving our eventually awakened collective soul.

The key difference is that being better is a matter of ego, being different is a matter of the heart.