Freaks

In an attempt to have an adventure yesterday, I find myself in a little bit of pain today...  Let me explain...  Yesterday's weather was gorgeous so after teaching my dance class, I decided to drop the convertible top and go for a drive.  All was well and good until I found myself like an hour away; as I headed for home, we got stopped in traffic for about 20 minutes (complete standstill on the highway) before I thought it would be a good idea to put the top up.  All of that sun (and it was some of the first sun on my upper arms this season), while it felt good, caused me to get a sunburn.  The sun must have been more on one side than the other since I have one arm where the sunburn is worse.  Oh, well...  I will just have to deal with it and keep putting aloe on it.

This past week, my Mom sent me a new definition of the term FREAK (and it came at a time that I really needed it) -- 'a person who is envied because they are a fabulously unique individual that can kick ass and has no need or desire to follow the flock.'  I am ready to show that I am a fabulously unique individual.  How am I going to do this you may ask?  I am going to be myself.  I am a freak and I am proud to be a freak!

Some people may feel as if being a self-proclaimed freak is a bad thing (I know that when I was in high school it was an insult to be called a freak and I was called a freak often) but I have found it to be liberating.  I am finding that I apologize less for things that I shouldn't have necessarily apologized for in the first place.  It's taken me a long time to realize that I apologize for way too much on a regular basis - and it's for things that I shouldn't even be apologizing for.  Saying 'I'm sorry' has become an automatic response and I'm working on correcting that.  If your automatic response is 'sorry,' I have found the word becomes less effective when it's actually necessary to say those words.  That's one of the reasons we don't have the kids say 'I'm sorry' to one another at work because those words don't mean anything to them - they're just words.

But back to being a freak.  If you find yourself in a place in your life that may not be ideal for you, find a way to be a freak.  And not just any freak, be your own freak.  That's the joy of being a self-proclaimed freak!  Each of us can be a freak in our own right and freakhood (yes, I just invented that word) is individualized to each and every one of us.  Being a freak doesn't guarantee that life is suddenly going to be easy (because not everyone understands letting your freak flag fly) but it can give you the confidence to remain a freak even when people question what you are trying to accomplish.  Just remember, being a freak is all about doing things for you and to give yourself the permission to be who you truly feel you are.

Yes, some of these things I am directing to myself as well as saying them to you.  I guess I have given myself stuff to think about in the upcoming week.  I have a big week at work (I will write about how those adventures go next week) so I should probably sign off for the night.  Best of luck with your freakhood this week, my dear readers!  =)