day 22- what makes you different from everyone else

I take pride in the fact that I am different. I rarely am a follower in life and while it actually can be challenging to not follow the tides of what society refers to as "normal" or "acceptable" I really enjoy being unique. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest was wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for anything but I think that there was always a difference with me then others in the town. I wanted to escape, run away- no, but I wanted to travel, to explore, to leave and become myself. Small town living makes it so easy for one to become "so and so's daughter, granddaughter, sibling etc" While I love the people in my life I didn't want to hear "oh your Shellee's Daughter" as much as I wanted to be known for me, as me, for things that I have accomplished. I think escaping the route that could have been given to me would have been fine, but I think I am different for being young and accomplished and not because I know someone but because I worked my way up to get to where I am. Its also funny living in such a culturally diverse city like SF really actually makes me super different here. My upbringing in a very white community in the midwest makes me super different here. AND my accent defiantly makes me stand out! :)

its funny too, I am so different in simple things like what I wear. A perfect example, when I was in LA over the weekend, we as a group couldn't go to a handful of clubs to go dancing because I wasn't wearing the proper dress code. seriously! Two of the things that couldn't be worn were 1.white t-shirts and 2. flip flops well guess what I had to wear that night? A mens white t-shirt, roll up jeans, and flip flops! Everyone I was out with were in skin tight clothes, high heals and looking ready to go out...I SO don't fit that and while some may feel out of sorts by being the "black sheep," I kinda enjoy it.

Now this is not to say that I don't follow some trends, and by no means do I go out of my way to purposely march to the beat of my own drum, but I am not afraid to say what I feel, respond honestly (even if I am all alone on my opinions) and be 100% true to myself.