Don't try to fit in when you're born to stand out

I interpret it as another way of saying "be yourself". We are all very unique in terms of our personality, interests, etc, and this phrase encourages people to avoid changing aspects of who they are in order to fit in with or be liked by others. "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" -- says the butcher looking for the longest neck. -- says the author encouraging new writers. -- says the misfit getting the tenth body piercing. -- says the teacher counseling a bullied student. -- says the entrepreneur about risks worth taking.

In order to be accepted by society, most people try to fit in. They forget who they are in the process and what they came to do on earth. Society, family, institutions, churches etc… tend to be normative and restrict us to be totally ourselves. For me personally most of the time I do stand out. I have a very strong self-esteem and self-confidence, so I really don’t care what people say or think of me. So I don’t have any problems standing out. The only times I try to fit in is at work when you need to teamwork to be the most productive.

I find meaning in growth, in learning, in increasing understanding. I think about it less in terms of "improvement" and more in terms of "expansion" or "deepening." In the past, I've wondered about the purpose of my own writing, an activity I've pursued consistently in various forms since I was seven years old. Over the years, I've had many answers to that question, but the one that sticks in my head most is "to learn myself." But, it's not just about me. It's about "learning" the world around me. About "learning" human nature and animal nature and dream nature. It's about evolving out in different directions until - probably many lives from now - I can begin to comprehend what it would be to expand my horizons far enough that they encompass everything.

My purpose - my meaning - comes from exploring everything (experiences, connections, emotions, ideas, stories, and so forth) and growing because of those explorations. I am able to live each and every moment of my life doing what I love doing, earning comfortably a good sum of money every month while working for a few hours a month. I blog, study, read and relax every single day. I have a roof over my head, good health, good food, a wonderful wife, a beautiful home and I live stress free. What more does a human being need? Loy Machedo.

Thankfully we don’t need to. It’s all around us. Everything has meaning. It’s staring us in the face. Just because we don’t understand it or otherwise ignore it doesn’t mean it’s not there - no more than this picture is an image of ‘nothing’. Life is like water. If the water gets stagnant - it harbors all kind of dirt, breeds germs and mosquitoes, becomes a cesspool of diseases. If water keeps flowing, it’s clean, fresh and lively. Life should never get stagnant. The day it becomes stagnant, it starts nurturing sadness, pessimism, and deprivation of thought.

It should always flow. New experiences, meeting new people, sharing and caring, exchanging new ideas and thoughts, keeping awake to changes around, learning new things every day - this is a life that flows, this is a life that sings. Life also means what I can give. If I can bring happiness to others, I should, even if it takes growing above my own pains. If I have a skill others don’t have, I should make efforts to teach it for the benefit of all. If I have some specific knowledge, I should impart it. What gives meaning to my life? Never letting myself become stagnant, gaining new experiences, learning new things, meeting new people, sharing their joys and pains, exchanging ideas and knowledge and spreading happiness around, making people smile, empowering them in some manner, alleviate their pains and struggles. This is what gives meaning to my life. Cheers,