December 8 Prompt

Author: Karen Walrond
The Beauty of Different
@chookooloonks

Prompt: Beautifully different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

Today was the most difficult prompt so far.

Different, I can handle.  I like different.  I dislike same.  Being unique tells a story.  When I make choices that are true to me yet they fall in line with what is expected/common/standard, it makes me question those choices.  I like different.

But to think about what I do that lights people up…. Oh wow.  This blogger said it well -(and you should go read all of her post!)

I’ve always been uncomfortable with praise.  It makes me itchy, like woolen sweaters.  I don’t particularly care for it. I just like to sort of exist, and if I can just get the work done that is called Life, then that’s even better. So when I’m asked to self-praise, then that is sort of condemning me to a life time of woolen jumpsuits and not just sweaters. To me, we live in a world of game-playing when it comes to praise.  People use it as Monopoly-style currency.  All fake and easily stolen from the banker.  It rarely means anything, and so I don’t trust it.  I don’t like knowing where I stand with people, therefore instead of stuffing me with compliments just tell me what you appreciate about me.  Tell me things that are authentic.  Real.

But tell these things about me, from me?  How odd.

So I went to twitter for feedback.  The first response from a friend (L) was about how we met.  That has nothing to do with how I’m different, and how it lights people up!  She went on to other things, and I guess many of them I never thought of as different.  As much as I like different, I want everyone to treat their friends the way I do, to strive to behave with integrity, to have common sense.  I know how much that can be lacking in the world, but didn’t realize it was THAT different.

Because I can’t even find the way to say these things about myself, here’s more of her words:

You also make amazing cupcakes*, are generous for the sake of being generous…

You are supportive, sweet, always there for people in one capacity or another even though you have the busiest social calendar

Not to mention inspiring photog, poppet collector and defender of the underdog!

And another friend M replied:

I second all that L said! You truly make people smile just by being you!

So yeah.  I’m pretty bad sometimes about tooting my own horn, and about realizing how I impact others.  I guess that’s different from some people, and while being riddled with self doubt isn’t fun, I’d rather not be bragging and boasting.

I *gulp* welcome you to leave comments here.  What about me do you find different, in an awesome way?  And while praise for cupcakes, photos, and such are nice (and likely to get me to bake for you or take your pic sooner :P), I’d really like to focus more on personality traits and aspects of me other than just skills.  Anyone can learn a skill and with enough dedication perfect it.  Thanks!

* Dudes. It’s usually just a box mix! 😛