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Why fit in when you were born to stand out

Nobody’s perfect. That’s what they all say. But when you’re a teenager, that saying never crosses your mind, especially with girls. We are always comparing ourselves to everyone around us, finding their flaws and comparing them with our own.

Kraft paper poster titled Why Fit In When You Were Born To Stand Out, with round mini pose cards and handwritten quotesI had that problem. Every time I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see anything but my flaws. My nose was too big, or I always looked tired. Maybe my hair was frizzy and my thighs were too big. I didn’t even notice the great things about myself. A web of insecurities shrouded my view on my self. It may seem a bit dramatic, but when you’re a teenager, isn’t everything?

It wasn’t until recently that I began to think differently. In my yoga class, we were told to create a flow just for us. We didn’t even have to share it; it was only for when we needed it. The idea was to take a word that had to do with one of the heart qualities that you needed to feed. At first I choose truthfulness. Something most everybody needs to work on, but then I decided to elaborate on that by adding individuality to the mix.

To me truthfulness is being true to yourself and those around you, which coincides with individuality. Knowing who you are and accepted that is, in my opinion, the greatest thing a person can do. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten there yet, so that’s what my flow focuses on. It’s also about knowing your flaws and owning them. Or as my teacher put it, finding your own internal elevator buttons and pushing them. They may be hidden deep down there, but I believe anyone can find them.

I think there is a deeper meaning to that. Chakras connect everything in life, and just like elevator buttons you need to activate them. Rise to the next floor, and face new challenges. Dare to set yourself apart from others, and reach out towards the unknown. You are your own person and no one can ever take that away from you.

I named my flow “Why fit in when you were born to stand out”. Which is one of my favorite quotes by Dr Seuss. I used to feel insecure about my muscular legs, but now I use them to my advantage to help me balance. I have a lot of poses that enhance that trait. Now whenever I feel down, because of those petty feelings; I look up at my flow and just breath..deeply.

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