I feel like I often write empty articles here on Odyssey, and I’m sorry for that (to those of you who actually read my articles. Hi, mom.) There is a theme of basic 20-something "insight" that runs through my pieces. It’s shallow, it’s barren, it’s repetitive…it’s honestly a little embarrassing. I think Odyssey is a great platform that serves as an amazing opportunity for a generation of people to express their voices, but I think it is underutilized. By me, at least.
I don’t spend enough time cultivating ideas that are worthwhile or worth sharing. Instead, I give you listicles injected with half-assed humor to make up for the complete lack of substance. By the way, stay tuned for next week’s article, “An Open Love Letter To That Stranger I Made Eye Contact With At Target Two Weeks Ago.” I often times rush to finish my article the morning it’s due, partially because I have a horrible procrastination problem and partially because I never know what to write about. The option for everything often leads to nothing.
But I think I’ve just been uninspired lately. I’ve been in a haze of mediocrity and just getting by. Just fitting in. Just doing enough to make it feel like I could be enough. I’ve felt bored and frustrated, and watching the news just makes me sad. I didn’t want to write an article about Hillary’s scandal, the Black Lives Matter movement, or ISIS. Instead, I wanted to find something different -- and I did.
I found a video series on YouTube called StyleLikeU. This is super random but bear with me. Each video follows a different woman in the fashion industry, focusing on both her stylistic and personal evolution. These women are amazing. They are unlike anything I have ever seen before. It’s like the Land of Misfit Toys, but in the Land of Misfit Toys, you can’t be a misfit. You can only be yourself.
This was the first video I saw and I became completely hooked:
She’s so weird, but I love her.
So often we are shown the same image over and over and over again in advertisements, on Instagram, in magazines, in each other. We become one marketed mass that is creative and deviated to the same degree. Funky sunglasses are cool, so we can wear funky sunglasses. And because we have funky sunglasses, we think we are different and are breaking the mold. But we’re not. We’re just being as crazy as the trend allows.
These women don’t follow trends; they don’t follow anyone. They are so weird, genuine and unapologetic about who they are and I can’t get enough.
Molly Guy is one of my favorites:
She just seems so laid back and I feel like her story is all of us. We plan out our lives and work tirelessly for something, but things don’t always pan out the way we hope. Despite her disappointments and reservations, she seems to be doing just fine. I like her long hair and casual manner. I like the fact that she has a kid but still, finds success in her own business. She makes me feel like life has a way of working itself out if you just let it. Stop trying to fight the world and maybe let the universe be sometimes.
These videos make me think about myself and who I want to be. I want to be fearless and genuine like the women in the videos. It’s easy to say that cuddled up in my bed here at home. It’s different when you step into the world and feel the eyes of judgment upon you. I think that makes it even more important.
These women provide more inspiration and words of wisdom than I ever could. There are a whole slew of interviews on their channel, StyleLikeU, so definitely check them out if you enjoyed the other two.
This isn’t about wearing crazy clothes or even going against the grain. It’s simply about being yourself and finding comfort in the trials and tribulations of our fellow human beings. So go forth and be you, friends. Life is too short to spend it being anyone else.
