June 1, 2014

The Fear of being different

I stumbled across the above picture a while back and it made me think about the many opportunities that I have missed out on because of the fears I have faced.

The fear to be different is probably the biggest one I have faced and is something that many young girls and women deal with on a daily basis. “What if they think I am weird?” What if I embarrass myself?”

“Let me just play it safe” Do those questions or phrases sound familiar?

Standing out is something that we all want to do but simply don’t because of what people may think, say or do. It can only be done by getting rid of this fear of being different and creating room for individuality. Keep reminding yourself that ‘fitting in’ and being just like everyone around you, will only get you so far! Whilst it is very easy to “play it safe” in the long run it will lead to a lack of satisfaction and regrets.

Beauty vlogger Bethany Mota is a prime example of a young woman who is not afraid to be different. With over 5 million subscribers on her YouTube channel (MacBarbie07), the 18 year-old has expressed her love for beauty and fashion for nearly 4 years on her channel. Never fazed by the negative comments she has received over the years as she continues to take over the fashion and beauty world. She has stayed true to herself and has always stuck to what she knows best – being different

As cliché as it sounds, there is only one YOU so be proud of that and use it to your advantage. Those little quirks that you have, the way you talk, the ideas you have and much more– nobody else on this planet has them! Leading back to the picture, fear will only cause you to focus on what you cannot achieve which leaves you with no room to focus on your vision so strive to be DIFFERENT!

Written by Nana Muyovwe, 17, Student

Follow her on twitter: @_thisisnana