Never be afraid to be unapologetically yourself.

It has taken me years to live this phrase out in my everyday life, and even still there are times when I am afraid to be myself and moments where I apologize for my mere existence. But this is a work in progress; it’s all a journey and we are all constantly growing and forming.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we are never good enough, that if we kicked this habit we would be better, or if we changed this quirk, then maybe others will be more willing to accept us. We look at our quirks, at our habits, at our different manners of living and plaster the label “weird,” “strange” and “odd” on these things that make us beautifully and wonderfully human.

In my own life, the majority of the quirks that I loathed about myself were a result of my ADHD. In prayer, I would constantly ask God, “Why did you give me this? Why can’t I be normal?” However, after learning more about my diagnosis, I realized that these quirks are not something I should be ashamed of, but something that I can celebrate, for ADHD people have a unique way of thinking, processing and looking at the world. These quirks, these “gifts” that we possess help us to excel in multiple creative fields. We are creators, we are perceivers, and when we hyper-focus on something, we can create beautiful art. They enable us to excel in certain areas where most others come up short.

The more I learned that all of my ADHD quirks are not to be scorned at, the more I learned that every quirk and trait a person has helps add to something greater. This idea extends past my mental “disorder,” and is truly relatable on a much greater realm. Every quirk, every trait, everything that you excel at, struggle with, how you grew up, who you know, how you relate to people, how you have developed and grown, every single detail of your life God has given specifically to you for a purpose.

Everything that He has given is pivotal and necessary in the story of your life. Every trait leads you further along on the mission that He has given specifically to you to conquer. The Lord has made you for a specific purpose, for a reason that may not be clear to us, but is perfectly clear and necessary to Him! He equips us with an individual personality, with specific quirks and unique traits, for a reason. We are not made to conform to others. We are made to fearlessly be ourselves, for we are created with a specific, intended purpose, and all the moments, traits and unique details that encompass our individual humanity are the tools necessary to accomplish that task.

So embrace those quirks, and embrace the gifts the Lord has given you. Embrace the weirdness and embrace each and every single fiber of your being, for you were created for a specific purpose which does not imitate that of anyone else. Embrace who you are, discover new things about yourself and take up your tools which are your very traits and essence of your being. Pick them up and take them with you, for you are equipped with all that you need for your specific journey in life.

I am able to live my best life, am able to live more intentionally, with the knowledge that I am created for a specific purpose. God gave me the tools that are necessary in that endeavor, and I never have to be ashamed of them, for He has given them to me as a gift, and He loves me for where I am in my life right at this very moment.