Embrace your weirdness

As I was working on projects this morning, I came across this saying:

(Photo by Anna Jauhola)

And I thought, "This applies to my closest friends."
Shortly after finding this quote, a blog popped up in my search results about the creative benefits of being weird.
I clicked on it and found some fascinating insight.
In one portion of the blog, the author spoke of leveraging your weird background in order to stimulate creativity.
I identified with this. I wasn't raised in a weird environment, per se, but I did have a very different upbringing from most of my classmates and friends.
Having no mom at home led to me being mothered by my grandmother, who gave me a much different view of how life should be and how to act, among other virtues.
While many of my friends are glued to their iPhones, tablets and so on, I feel like I unplug a lot more often (despite the fact I'm keeping up a blog.) Grandma taught me it was important to get outside and away from the TV or computer, even if it's just for a short while.
I've always embraced this "weirdness" and enjoy face time (not to be confused with FaceTime) with my friends and relatives. I've never been one to spend a lot of time on the phone unless it's necessary.
If that makes me weird, then so be it.
As a part-time cook at a small cafe, I often see couples, groups of friends, even older people stop by for lunch and instead of talking to each other, they literally sit down and stare at their phones.
It's sickening.
But I digress.
Then I got curious about what others wrote about being weird, and found another blog post giving 10 reasons why it's okay to be weird.
I really enjoy this one, because it's simple and gets to the point.
The whole trying-to-fit-in thing was something most people try at least once in life. I know I did and I failed miserably. There was no place for this girl to fit in.
At one point, number 6 on the list defined me -- Resisting your weirdness makes you dark.
I could be in a pretty dark place at times, trying to fit in. I often beat myself up for not being skinny, or pretty, or generally accepted.
But, when I stopped caring about the ridicule from others for laughing hysterically at seemingly ridiculous things, I felt lighter.
So. Take some time and think about yourself. How are you weird? How does your weirdness make you special, or creative, or a better person?
Because, guess what?
Everyone is weird.
And it can make you awesome.