I’ve said it a million times, “I’m quirky,” as if it were something negative or unusual. But what I’ve come to recognize in the last few years is that everyone has quirks, we’re literally ALL quirky. Now some quirks may be a little more unusual than others, but it’s these aspects of our personality that make us beautiful and interesting.
Webster’s dictionary defines a “quirk” as a trait that’s different from normal, and that’s what really makes them so great. If all of our traits were normal, how boring would that be? I think it’s time for us to stop being embarrassed of our quirks and to realize that they might be just the things that attract others to us.
The Quirk That Changed My Life
Just in case my little opening speech didn’t convince you to love your quirks, how about a real-life example? I’d say one of my many quirks is the fact that I’m extremely clumsy. I don’t mean to be, but despite my best efforts, I’m always dropping something, tripping over something or spilling my drink. I used to let that be a constant source of embarrassment for me, until I realized how endearing it was to someone else. That someone is now my husband.
I had just finished apologizing for the millionth time after spilling my drink on the carpet in his apartment, and he looked at me and said, “stop apologizing, I love that you’re clumsy, it’s one of my favorite things about you.” This just about knocked me over. I had always assumed that my clumsiness was probably the one thing he’d change about me, when it was actually one of the things he loved the most.
All that to say, we have no idea how others are viewing our quirks, so it’s high time we embrace them ourselves.
Confronting the Lie: “My Quirks Aren’t Beautiful”
Okay, so you read my little story above, and you’re thinking… “but my quirks aren’t endearing like that…I like to fold all of my underwear in a particular way and no one is going to think that’s cute.” I disagree. Your quirks are a part of who you are and a part of what makes you beautiful and unique, it sounds like you’re not suffering from a quirk problem, but from a self-love problem.
First, you need to embrace and love yourself, and then you’ll see how your quirks fit into the beautiful framework of who you are. Still see your quirks as imperfections? Embrace them! We’ve all got imperfections, you’ll drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect in every way.
Follow People Who Are Doing It Right
A great way to embrace your own quirks is to follow people who are embracing theirs! Beautycon.com recently posted an article called “4 Body Positive Accounts We Love” featuring four Instagram accounts with people who are truly embracing their quirks. Following positive people who really embrace what makes them different can really help you see the beauty in your own differences.
You also need to surround yourself with people who embrace your quirks, because those are friends worth having. If you have a friend who’s constantly tearing you down because of the things that make you uniquely you, it might be time to cut ties with that person. True friends will see the beauty in your quirks and you’ll feel more beautiful being around them.
Ultimately, remember this…we ALL have quirks, there’s not one person in the world that doesn’t. So let’s embrace them in ourselves and others.