It's more difficult than it should be to celebrate everything which is unique, special, valuable and strong about ourselves. However, we mustn't overlook the potential gains from doing just that.
Reasons to emphasise our uniqueness
It's the first and last time the combination of our life story, our DNA, our dreams, our bodies, hearts and minds will ever exist.
The people we love will never exist exactly as they are now either. And never again in any lifetime. The unique qualities they offer will never be repeated.
And the only real instruction manual for the lives we are living is the one we are writing for our unique selves.
Staying in the moment is powerful!
As children we observed the world from our own, very unique angle. We were:
Uninhibited.
Fully aware
Learning intuitively
Living in the moment
We expressed exactly how we felt without hesitation.
Until we were taught otherwise!
Shying away, concealing or disguising who we truly are and what we each want is a learned behaviour.
Most of us were trained, educated or conditioned not to rely on the power behind our natural and unique abilities (over a period of time).
Schooling
We attended school which is uniform in every way - taught to abide by the same rules, work towards the same, common goals.
Uniqueness is often viewed as irrelevant or even problematic at school. To make matters worse, this is where we believe we are learning to build our future.
However, it is our ability to trust and accept (as opposed to doubt) ourselves fully which allows us to direct our own learning, explore opportunities and live with purpose.
We are our own best guide!
The love we have to offer is unique
Life is a Dance
....and yet we are taught to march. We may lose our rhythm, forget the chorus and skip to someone else's beat.
However it becomes habitual to accept someone else's answers and authority over our own intuition and judgement.
The Education System.
Punctuation, time keeping, obedience and examination were fundamental to the creation of our education system (The bell ringing, raising our hands to speak or answer questions or to go to the toilet).
Our intuition as well as our unique potential were replaced by conformity.
This article offers a very good insight into the history and intention behind the education system. Ken Robinson's Ted Talk also outlines three principles crucial for the human mind to flourish and how education culture works against them.
By doing what we are told, when we are told to do it, the wiring of the mind adapts accordingly.
And we are graded all the time!
Systems revolve around Control
As we go into school, unaware of systems, possibly full of faith and passion, we might leave simply understanding how systems work very well. And feeling quite afraid.
We will be a hardwired small cog in any working environment by the time we leave.
Due to the vulnerability present within all young minds, we are conditioned very easily. It is NOT a sign of weakness but a result of being in a a highly structured and systematic environment.
Which is counterproductive to many types of growth and learning.
We become easily controlled as opposed to being empowered to create opportunities for ourselves.
Uniqueness Vs Habit
If it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, how habitual do you think our tendency to look to authority is? (after an estimated 2,500 days of schooling).
The magic and power behind our potential is internal and unique to the individual. Noone can have authority over or dictate the best way for us to learn or achieve anything!
The tendency to look to others is an obstacle in itself.
At school the subjects and the content of the curriculum would be laborious, rely on repetition and produce the same skills in every child.
We would become interchangeable and expendable clones of one another.
But Education is the only recognised basis for higher paid employment!?
And not all parents can home school their children, can they?
Encourage curiosity and intuition
By encouraging freedom of thought, choice and the ability to explore ideas children become far more confident in their decision making later on.
If a child is dissatisfied, frustrated or unhappy with schooling we can whole heartedly support and encourage their viewpoint.
They can still study and engage but they know they always hold the most power when it comes to directing, changing or influencing their minds and lives.
Turning their backs on the education system!
One of the best inventors of all time, Thomas Edison completed 3 months in formal education. This article lists twenty others. Benjamin Franklin left school and went to work at age 10, Charles Dickens at age 12 and more recently, Jennifer Lawrence left school at the age of 13.
Fearlessly walking away from a need for approval is a conscious choice and not a sign of inadequacy.
Recognising the flaws of the education system is wise!
It is also important to recognise the incredibly positive impact some teachers have on children despite the constraints of the curriculum. These efforts are rarely recognised but prove that kindness has a far bigger impact.
It was a teacher who introduced me to my greatest passion (nature) through a kayaking club he jointly ran for over 30 years. He was never paid or in fact supported by the school, despite the many Scottish and British team members who emerged from the club - not to mention the memories, laughter and friendships.
Love leads us out of educational conditioning
Our own song is the only song we ever need to pay attention to. It will provide us with everything we will ever need in life...we must trust that song and be inspired by it, follow it.
This article by Hack Spirit provides an insight into ten reasons why being unique is a very good thing. From increasing confidence to heightened creativity, an ability to set boundaries as well as finding greater happiness and a sense of purpose.
Increasing the faith we have in our uniqueness is both natural and therapeutic.
By relaxing the mind, having fun and maintaining a sense of humour we naturally magnify our unique traits.
This in turn promotes resilience, independent thought, curiosity as well as raising the energetic vibration of our own minds. We attract more positive experiences and ideas when we are in a good mood 🙏😁
Anything we'd like to incorporate into our lives in 2024 is an opportunity to expand upon our unique passions and interests.
We can change our minds whenever we like as well!
No conditions, No rules, No judgement, No 'right way'
It's about choosing to be in the driving seat and it is absolutely worth the effort. If we are stuck in a job we hate, we can still stand by our OWN perspective. We can empower ourselves internally.
Energy and Connection are powerful
Those who love and celebrate our unique traits are key players as we embark on any journey.
Compassion, humour, mindfulness and positivity are incredibly beneficial for everyone.
Becoming grounded in who we truly are also allows us to be self assured as well as being able to offer greater stability and support to others.
Be as brilliantly unique as possible! 🌟
Researching and writing this article taught me a lot about my own childhood experiences and I know noone needs to feel trapped by conditioning.
Many years in Scotland's outdoors allowed me to heal from years of reinforced negativity and control while training as a gymnast alongside schooling (as well as adulthood trauma).
The universe and nature are powerful allies, where nothing is uniform. We fit in perfectly to a place which welcomes and celebrates every single, unique human on earth.
Sometimes all we need is space for our strengths to shine through.
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