Nobody You-er than You
Today it is way too easy to become wrapped in being like everyone else. Social media allows us to take a look into everyone’s lives. We see what they wear, what they eat, and even the hobbies they partake in. Although we can get great tips on many different things from people on social media, it is very important that we keep a sense of self. All week I have been feeling pressured to get a blog post out. I really wanted to publish an article but everytime I started I just could not get my words and thoughts on the same page. I started a piece on friendship, but I kept getting stuck. I'm not sure if I had too much to say or not enough. Maybe God was telling me not yet. After recently attending one of my good friend’s bridal shower and seeing how she stop being friends with her best friend right before her wedding got me in my feelings. I was determined to write about that because that is almost exactly what happened to me for my wedding, so I felt it only right to discuss it. But I just could not get it together. I kept hitting a roadblock. I reached out to one of my friends and fellow blogger, Jonique Gaines and expressed my writers block woes to her. She assured me that I had been just overthinking. Her words hit hard because they were true. “No, you’re just overthinking.” I had been doing just that. I wanted the article to be perfect. I kept thinking, instead of just writing from the heart like I normally do. I even changed the process in which I usually follow.
“No, you’re just overthinking”
Usually I write out my blogpost and then come up with a title, but for some reason I decided to do things differently. I had been reading a lot of blogs lately, looking for tips and tricks from other bloggers. I finally noticed that I was reading an unhealthy amount of other people’s work and neglecting my own. Which led to what I called my writers block. Because one successful blogger said she always starts her posts with a title, I felt I should be doing the same. I thought to myself, “she’s very successful with a huge following, so of course she knows what she’s talking about.” What I failed to realize was, this way works for this blogger, and just because it works for her doesn’t necessarily means it would work for me. I found myself trying to be like someone else. I was following all the do’s and don’ts of other bloggers as well. I even started to write like others. I had to take a step back breathe and pray, which my friend Jonique also advised me to do. I asked God to lead me and His Holy Spirit to give me the words to speak. I had to laugh a little because the advice Jonique had given me was what I normally do anyway. Again I had changed my process to do what others were doing. I had to remind myself that it is perfectly ok to be me and do things my way. I had to take a hard look in the mirror and tell myself to be me!
I made a post on Instagram about being yourself. No one was created exactly like you. We all were made uniquely and it is important that we show our differences and stand out. You would think that as a 31 year old woman I would know this by now. (lol) We should never want to be exactly like anyone else. One of one person is enough. Dr. Suess has a quote that says, “ Today you are you, that is truer than true, there is no one alive that is more youer than you.” This quote reminds me that I am unique. No one can be more ME-ER than me and I can never be just like anybody else. Saturday I attended my first blog networking event. It was hosted by Jazz of JD Series, who is awesome may I add. I was so nervous attending this event. I brought along my husband as my side kick, but all he told me was I had to be myself and kinda left me to do my own thing. At first I was little upset with him for leaving me to do this alone, but I soon realized that this is my vision and I had to show off my uniqueness. I was just thankful he agreed to join me, just in case I needed to escape. (lol) After about 20 minutes things seemed to be unnerving. I was walking around and just introducing myself. I gave them me, whether they liked me or not I gave them Lynyadia and I am proud of that. Before the event I kept playing out scenarios in my head, introductories and all, but when I became comfortable in myself I trashed all that and just gave myself. The world needs to see me, my uniqueness is needed and I had to make a promise to myself to always be me with no regrets! Besides I have kids watching me and I have to show them that being yourself is the best thing ever.
Jazz of JD Series and I at Creatives Link Up
My son says all the time that he’s changing his name to Anthony Davis. The basketball star who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans. He says he wants to be just like Anthony because he is so cool and a awesome basketball player. I always tell him although Anthony is very cool and excels at what he does, you don’t have to be just like him. It’s perfectly fine to be Gerald IV. I'm sure this would be the advice of Mr. Davis to him as well. I always tell him to create his own legacy. So that someday someone can say how cool you are. They already know Anthony Davis and if you become just like him, the world will never know just how amazing Gerald IV is. Be You! There is nothing wrong with liking Anthony Davis, but you don't have to be him. Being yourself is way more fun.
I encourage everyone who reads this to work harder at being yourself. It is so easy, even as adults to want to be like other people, especially successful people. We all have to remember that God created us uniquely in the image of Him and the things that He has purposed inside of us are ours to manifest. Being like others will only cloud you. Whatever passions God has placed in your heart. Do them. Do them your way, be unique, and show us there is always more than one way to do something. What may work for one person may not work for you. Its perfectly ok to stand out and BE YOU! Besides it’s the one thing no one can ever do better than you! Walk in your purpose, with purpose, on purpose. Be you! We need you!
Let’s talk about it. Have you ever consciously or subconsciously took on the characteristics of others and decided it’s better to be like them than yourself? Leave a comment below.
