Maybe you’re the oddball, the one who looks like no one, acts like no one, the one who’s just different. The paradox is that we all want to be different, we all want to stand out, but at the same time we want to be somehow the same. We want to identify with the rest of the world, but we want to be different enough to be distinguished. If the fashion this year says we should wear red, then we all want to wear red, but we want our red to be different.

I remember listening to Brene Brown’s TED Talk about The Power of Vulnerability and being amazed about how clear her definition of courage is.

“The root of the word courage is cor—the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage literally had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” Over time, this definition has actually changed, and today, courage is synonymous with being heroic or performing brave deeds.”

Can you even imagine that? Speaking your mind, telling your heart, allowing yourself to be who you are on the inside. Looking in the mirror and actually recognizing yourself beyond the physical appearance, recognizing that you are so courageous, so amazing that there’s no reason to hide, no reason for masks, no reason to not be you. And can you imagine that moment when you feel liberated, confident beyond anything that no matter what it is, you can talk to someone, to your one, that everything will be ok as long as you tell the truth, as long as you have the courage to be you.

Imagine having the courage to be the purple tree in the middle of all the green ones, imagine bringing a smile to someone’s face whenever they look at you, imagine inspiring someone at every step, imagine being that bright red flower that takes your eyes away, being that person that everyone looks for when they’re happy, when they’re sad, when they need to feel inspired, when they need a smile or a hug. How would your life be if you just allowed yourself to be you? How would you be? Would you be happier? Would you smile more? Would your heart be filled with love every day?

Imagine the life you would have if you just had the courage to be you!