Kiran Athar
Embracing who you are starts as a journey of self-discovery and ends in self-expression.
It’s not something that happens overnight – there’s a lot to explore when you look within and reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, passions and more.
But with a little patience and dedication, you absolutely can embrace your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.
After all, who doesn’t want to leave their little mark on the world?
If this sounds like you, keep reading. I’ll be sharing 11 tips below to help you get started:
1) Get to know yourself
If you want to embrace your uniqueness, you first need to know what it is that makes you stand out from the crowd.
Take some time to explore who you are at your core. Consider your:
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Passions and hobbies
- Values
- Triggers
Basically, reflect on what makes you, you! Journaling or meditation will help you as you get to know yourself and make decisions on how to live your life based on your core values, strengths, and passions.
2) Cultivate your passions
Once you know where your passion lies, it’s time to pursue them!
Consider:
- Joining a club
- Engaging with online forums
- Taking a course/workshop
Not only will this help you embrace your uniqueness, but by getting good at what you love, you’ll start to stand out from the crowd.
But that’s not all…
By doing the above, you’ll meet like-minded people. They’ll encourage you and provide a support network that’ll boost your confidence, allow you to find your niche, and make your mark!
3) Embrace your quirks
The truth is, we all have our own weird and wonderful quirks.
Some of us are proud of them and others feel ashamed or embarrassed. But if you want to stand out from the crowd and celebrate your uniqueness, you’ve gotta get comfortable with your quirks!
My advice?
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Learn to laugh at your weird habits. Share them in a lighthearted manner with others. Whenever you feel self-conscious, remember, these quirks make you who you are!
And while some people might not like them, there’ll be plenty who find you endearing and charming!
4) Express yourself
Another way to embrace your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd is to explore different ways of expressing yourself.
This could be through:
- Creating a Youtube channel
- Art – finding creative outlets to express yourself
- Writing/creating a blog post
- Sharing your work on social media or forums
Use these outlets to share your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. In doing so, you’ll find your “tribe” – the community that relates to you and share your interests.
The more you do this and put yourself out there, the more you’ll stand out from the crowd! But a word of caution…Don’t fall into the trap of just copying what other “successful” people do online.
Find what makes you unique. Once you’ve got your angle, you’ll have more chances of gathering the interest of others.
5) Be confident
But to do the above and put yourself out there for the big wide world to see, you’re going to need confidence!
And this can be tricky, especially if you’re still in the process of accepting and embracing who you are.
So, try these tips:
- Set small, achievable goals every day to give you a sense of accomplishment and pride.
- Acknowledge your successes and how far you’ve come. Celebrate them no matter how small they are!
- Practice positive affirmations. This will reduce negative thoughts that stem from insecurity and keep you focussed on your goals.
Ultimately, confidence comes with time. Get yourself out there but do it one step at a time and don’t be put off by any setbacks!
6) Challenge conventions
No matter what area you’re interested in, there’s always going to be the attitude of “this is the way it’s always been done”.
For example, if education is your niche, you may want to think about what reforms are needed and whether you can help by becoming an activist in this area.
Look for improvements, think outside the box, and challenge societal norms!
This is a surefire way to embrace your uniqueness and by challenging the status quo, you’ll certainly stand out from the crowd.
7) Dress to impress
Now, while thinking about all your unique qualities, it also won’t hurt to think about your dress sense.
The truth is, the clothes we wear and the styles we adopt are great ways to express ourselves without words!
So, if you’re highly into art for example, and want to stand out from the crowd in that space, consider your style and whether it showcases your interests and talents – you could even incorporate your own work into your clothing if you’re feeling adventurous!
But that’s not all…
Dressing well and finding a style that suits you will also boost your confidence. And as we discussed earlier, this is crucial if you want to stand out and make the statement of “Here I am”.
8) Take risks
But I get it – to branch out with your fashion sense, to showcase yourself online, all these things are scary.
That’s why you need to push yourself to take risks.
Start by identifying areas in life where you’re just a bit too comfortable. Then, make a plan to push yourself to try new things and shake these areas up a little.
You don’t have to go too big too soon. Small steps will help you get familiar with taking risks, and as a result?
You’ll boost your confidence, which will help you embrace your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd!
Something as small as going for dinner alone in a restaurant or booking a solo vacation somewhere could be the boost you need.
9) Practice kindness and empathy
Now, whatever skill or trait you decide to hone in on and use to stand out from everyone else, make sure you’re also factoring in kindness and empathy.
You see, when we treat others this way, we’re more likely to receive the same understanding and kindness in return.
But there’s more to it…
By practicing kindness and empathy, you’ll also foster better relationships with other people. These connections could help you massively as you start your journey on accepting who you are and making your mark in the world!
And when it comes to how to you are around other people, you should definitely factor in this next point:
10) Be authentic
The truth is, embracing all your quirks and uniqueness will be a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions. You’ve got to look within and see yourself for who you really are – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
But rather than select the bits you like the most, you need to learn how to accept ALL parts of yourself.
Only then will you be truly authentic.
And when people see how genuine and honest you are, they’re more likely to accept those not-so-nice parts too.
So, the bottom line is:
Be 100% yourself, and you’ll already start to stand out from the crowd. Don’t try to hide parts of yourself – if you know there are areas to work on, be honest about them and set goals to improve as a person.
11) Share your story
And finally, if you really want to stand out from the rest and embrace your unique qualities, start telling your story.
What events happened to make you who you are today?
What hardships did you overcome? What successes did you have along the way?
Most of us downplay our lives. We don’t share our vulnerabilities or achievements easily.
But if you start, even on a small scale with those closest to you, revealing yourself and your story, you’ll realize how much people enjoy and appreciate hearing it!
Not only will it make it easier for others to relate to you, but you may even inspire others to do the same.
Use your uniqueness to encourage others to embrace themselves – this is a surefire way to stand out from the crowd, and do some good along the way!
