Being free to be who you are is liberating. And it reflects the amazing creativity of the One who designed you.
It is easy to talk in generalities, isn’t it?
Be yourself.
Embrace your identity.
Wear your uniqueness.
Big talk. But what does it mean? As you and I both know, being yourself can be a pretty scary proposition if you don’t look exactly like everyone else in your circle. Especially if there are rules of conformity that push you into a cookie-cutter mold, shaping your looks, your behavior, your activities.
In 1755, when Yankee Doodle was written to express condescension of American colonists, the British military had rules and expectations. Some were necessary, like “Obey orders.” Others were culturally derived, like precision marching and red coats (important in European wars, disastrous in the French & Indian War). The Americans, however, had a different culture. It wasn’t “less than” the British, it was simply different. It fit the Americans, just as red coats fit the British.
So, bringing this home for today, let me tell you a story.
I like to talk.
That has been a problem for me much of my life, as the cultural expectation in the schools of my day was, “Be QUIET!” My report cards reflected this—I often received a “C” in conduct for talking too much.
When I was seventeen, an older woman looked at me as we were working together in the kitchen, and scathingly remarked, “Don’t you EVER shut up????”
Despite the constant crushing disdain, the simple fact is that I was designed as a communicator. And, when I stumbled into the joy of speaking before audiences (teaching gourmet cooking classes for a community program), it all suddenly made sense.
Just like American colonists who went to war in their homespun clothing, with their finely honed musket skills, I found satisfying success in simply being me.
As a speaker, I am a DOODLE. Though it did not fit certain group norms, it was who I am. . .who I am designed to be.
Now it’s your turn. Despite the naysaying of those around you, what kind of a DOODLE are YOU?
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