it's ok to be weird!

Anyone else out there struggle with feeling weird? Or even not fitting in? For as long as I can remember I’ve always felt a little weird, like I didn’t fit in, like my thoughts and views were not quite the “norm”, like I was a walking contradiction, like everyone else around me was part of the “the club” and I wasn’t invited.

I got a D+ in color theory class my sophomore year of college even though color was my biggest passion in art. 

I didn’t have a boyfriend until I was 22 years old. 

It took me 7 years to complete my art degree. 

It took me over 15 years to create a viable art business! 

I am a Christian but I don’t like going to church. 

I am afraid of pretty much everything- especially the dentist, driving in the snow and river rafting. 

I’ve always felt SO awkward with lots of friends and instead prefer one good friend. 

I am SUPER uncomfortable talking in front of a group of people but I love teaching so. 

I am SO SHY unless I’m mad and then I have superpowers! 

I’d rather be alone than go along with who/what is cool or trendy. 

I spent a good part of my life getting TERRIBLY made fun of for my pale skin and freckles. 

I am super random, flakey and spontaneous but I love to plan.

This random list of nutty facts about Alisa could go on and on and on! And for a very long time I let many of the quirky and unusual things about myself hold me back. I let them affect and influence the way that I lived my life until I finally discovered that it’s the complicated, unusual, mysterious, layered, goofy, nonsensical things that make us all so darn special! When I started owning who I was, when I began to appreciate the complexity of who I am and what I do, I started to show up in this world with confidence and pride. Because there is nothing worse than changing who you are simply to fit in. There is nothing worse than hiding the pieces of yourself that make you so incredibly special! So my friends today I want you to know that it’s ok to weird, it’s ok not to fit in and it’s ok to own it!