Dare to be Different
If you haven’t been to my about page, you may not know that music is one of my passions - so much in fact that I listen to it every night when I’m working on my design projects. I’ve always found it therapeutic, and really think that there is so much more to music than just sound.
This past week, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Vanessa Carlton’s music - and through a few of her songs, I’ve realized something about her that I never really knew. She is different. Up until this past week, the only thing I knew about her was through her song “A Thousand Miles” which really put her on the map.
However, I dug a littler deeper, and started to listen more intently to her music - she’s not just a great singer, but an extremely talented songwriter as well. I read through some of her lyrics, and started to recognize something redundant about the way she writes. She is different. Different in a way that tests the monotony of normalcy, and provokes questions that I think we all ask ourselves.
Why is my life so normal? Why don’t I feel really happy? Why am I bored with what I do?
Well, I have always been an advocate of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken”, and I’ve really tried my best to take the road less traveled. Aside from wanting to escape the redundancy of my life, I also knew that there was more out there than my everyday routines.
We live in a world that is molded by safety and complacency, where people are afraid to take risks, and to be different. We seek approval in ways that sometimes cripple our souls and prevent us from taking bites out of life that we wouldn’t normally take. I find myself feeling most free when I decide to do something that is outside my comfort zone. There’s something so appealing about doing things that people don’t expect.
So today I want to encourage you to take chances with your life. Be different. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do - whether it be with your design or website, with your family or anything else that might break the monotony of your everyday life.
As for me, I really try to do this with my design - to do things outside the “standards” of WordPress and blogging. I realize that there are so many themes out there that are plain and average, and I really want to push the limits. This is why I created my Revolution and Revolution News themes - because I think that people are always asking for more, and for something that is unique. My code may not be written perfectly, or according to strict web standards. But it’s different, as is my design, I hope - and that’s something I will never feel badly about.
Take a chance in life, and raise some eyebrows. Make people talk about you, and remember you because you crossed the line of normalcy and stand out in a crowd of average people.
Brian - A great post on so many levels. Yes, music is therapeutic. I’m a huge fan of bluegrass from the ’30s and ’40s since I feel a kinships with the mountains of West Virginia and the Great Depression days. Music can calm your nerves while awakening your soul.
Acting outside your comfort zone is a way of saying be different. It is a philosophy urged by psychologists to spiritualists. It’s something we learn as babies but ignore as adults. Operating outside your comfort zone is equal to growth. Staying safe is the same as stagnation and death.
When people come across your themes, one of the universal responses is surprise. Surprise from its clarity and clean lines — something which comes from being different and not mimicking the pack.
Here’s a key to success: it’s not duplicating the same path, but cutting a new, unique road - because few people feel safe being different.
Ed, thanks for those words, and for taking the time to respond in such detail. Mimicking the pack is something that I really choose to avoid doing - especially in the internet business. One thing I’ve learned about the internet and web development is this: if you’ve done something the same way that somebody else did, you are already a step behind.
As for my themes (and coding) I really try my best to simplify the way things are written - mainly because I want to appeal to people who are new to blogging, and those who wish to customize my work. I look forward to seeing what you do with the Revolution News theme!
This will sound really negative and I apologize in advance (!). I find that most exhortations to be different or unique are beyond most people. Usually the pablum response is “everyone is unique” but imo, most people are unique like leaves on the same tree are unique. Or snowflakes, but they’re still all snowflakes. Or maybe just flakes :).
I think when it’s forced, the drive for uniqueness creates more problems than it solves. Personally and professionally, I’m inundated with strident claims of “unique” and honestly, it all becomes quite tiring. They all could not be more similar…I’d settle for genuine. Either you have it or you don’t. Those swayed by social pressures always will be. Their internal editor is unrelenting.
Kathleen, point taken and don’t ever apologize for being honest!
My post wasn’t written to “force” anyone to do anything, rather to encourage people to look inward, and to take a chance on doing something different in their life if they feel stuck in neutral. It doesn’t have to be anything major, but just to have fun and to try different things.
I, myself, vow tonight when I go to Starbucks, to order something other than my ritualistic Toffee Nut latte. Perhaps a Vanilla or Cinnamon latte would be a refreshing change of pace.
Great post Brian.
It would be great if we could all discipline ourselves to wakeup to this idea each morning. I guess we as humans for whatever reason have a tendency to allow things in life to start out as a passion but end up becoming a boring obligation. Marriages, work, our faith, life, it all begins with an infused state of passion but then we start to just settle for a mere existence or trapped situations.
Each day is a new opportunity to close the door on yesterday and make a brand new start. (hint that God created 24 hr days). Maybe to give us the idea that we need to start fresh everyday, break out of the box, do something different on a regular basis!
Thanks Deborah, and thanks for introducing the ideas of spirituality here - one thing I desperately need to stay on top of in my life. One of the worst things a Christian can do is be stagnant, and not grow. I know for a fact, that anytime I lose focus, the one thing that puts life back into perspective is remembering what happened six hours one Friday.
I, myself, vow tonight when I go to Starbucks, to order something other than my ritualistic Toffee Nut latte.
Lol.
Why go to starbucks? Why not a local place? My favorite local place has a sign that reads “Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy”, you won’t find that at starbucks. Indeed, why coffee at all? Aside from playing the devil’s advocate, rituals remain pleasantries. This is why we’re drawn to them. The trick is to know when you are defined by them. I have my rituals and practices and make no apologies for them; they are a comfort, an anchor amid relentless change.
The bane of anyone, faith based and agnostic alike, is stagnation. No faith has a monopoly on open mindedness. Secular and religious alike, I find those most obsessed with claiming to be open minded to be anything but (ditto for charitable and forgiving).
I am bettered by the experience of buying magazines and books on topics I know nothing about, on topics I care nothing for and from a perspective I *don’t* agree with. I always find something interesting. Most people read to define their parameters rather than the painful reach of transcending them.
I agree entirely. Tell me, how do you go about doing that, if even only by taking say a 20% departure from your normal working life, by committing one working day out of 5 to a new pursuit, when your family doesn’t seem open to the approach given concerns over a loss of income and reduced available finances for everyday living, notwithstanding the potential mid term for greater gains?
HI Brian,
I was just stopping by and after reading your entry I don’t think it was by chance. I have had a most difficult time as of late and you really hit it on the head. So thanks for the inspiration……..
I would echo Susan’s comments here, your comments were an inspiration. I’ve been in a funk for a while now and I appreciate your words. Sometimes words of encouragement come from unexpected places. Thanks, bro.
Kathleen, you seem like a really neat person - I admire your thinking and would love to talk more about life. There’s something about what you wrote that has stuck with me all day long, thanks!
Observer, sounds like you are asking for advice! What I suggest is what I had to do, which is focus my time late at night to supply the addition income from freelance work. Since my family is #1 priority, I don’t normally get on the computer to work until after Shelly and Zach are both asleep.
Susan, I am THRILLED that you came by today, and read my post. I’m glad that you found inspiration, and I encourage you to keep your chin up. (Not to mention you can brag about yet another awesome version to my theme!)
Chris, you must have been busy today, because you normally comment sooner! LOL! And yes, it’s funny how life works - that random people make a difference when you’re least expecting it!
Am I that predictable? It was a busy day and trying to shake this absolute funk is harder that I thought.
Thanks for your post, it got me thinking. It’s a dangerous thing (me thinking).
Routines kill us. Hearing music is healing our soul and body.
This is what I meant in my post on MyBecause.com: “Listening Music”(http://mybecause.com/archives/listening-music).
I will be get pleasure from hearing my favorite music.