How Embracing Non-Conformity Unlocked My True Potential
Growing up, I always found myself challenging the rules. If you were my friend, chances are we were breaking them together. Whether it was sneaking snacks from the camp’s snack shack, getting caught drinking underage by the police, or cheating on a math test because I felt the person to the left of me studied the material more, going against the grain felt like second nature to me.
As a young girl, I couldn’t grasp why I had this urge to rebel. While I didn’t always act on it, following rules never quite sat right with me. Being told what to do and how to behave made me want to do the opposite.
Understanding myself was tricky and intimidating. Standing out for the wrong reasons at a young age chips away at your confidence. Over time, I’ve realized the rulebook keeps changing, placing me in different scenarios with each passing year, era, and decade of my life.
In 2020, as I began to truly understand myself, I saw that I’m not a rule-follower. I don’t stick to the predetermined path, and I don’t color within the lines. Embracing this inner truth challenged me profoundly. I had to ask myself, “Is being different bad? Is it weird? Is it okay?”
As I emerged into adulthood, the desire to fit in became more pressing. We all seek to be heard, accepted, valued, and understood. When I’m told I can’t do something or that it’s impossible for me, it sparks a fire within me. And no matter the odds, I’ve always come out on top.
When they said I couldn’t travel the world alone, I booked a one-way ticket to Argentina. When they doubted my reading abilities, I proved them wrong by advancing two levels by high school. And when they laughed at the idea of me getting into the University of Miami, I not only got accepted but also had two “AP” classes on my transcript that surprised everyone.
Despite the unconventional path I’ve taken and the uncertainties about my future, my inner child reassures me that I was never meant to follow the beaten path. Just because it looks different doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
When things feel unfamiliar — a job, a routine, a new realization — we shouldn’t rush to label it as wrong. Life isn’t black and white; it’s rich with perspectives and experiences that defy categorization.
Having a positive and deeply fulfilling outlook on what it means to live a strong life defies categorization.
As I sit here, pondering my future success with a hint of anxiety, one thing remains clear: as long as I trust my heart and embrace my uniqueness without fear, no matter where life leads me, everything will fall into place just as it should.
Cheers to the uniqueness of our lives.
Signing off from Rio de Janeiro,
Chelsey Grace Jacobs ❤
