In A World Full Of Normal, Be Desigual

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  There is a clothing store out of Spain called Desigual, which looks like it was created by an entire staff of designers and interior decorators during a drug-induced hallucination. The clothing here laughs at subtlety and screams boldly and without fear. Wild, colorful designs and phrases emblazon every article of clothing and accessory, letting you know that they are not embarrassed to put their outrageous personality out there for all to see.
  Wandering the streets of Europe I came across Desigual frequently and could never resist the urge to go in and gaze in wonder upon the fun, unabashed clothing that a midwesterner back home might be labelled a witch for wearing in public. Then during one browsing I came upon a pair of jeans proclaiming down a pant leg, "We are all Desigual on the inside." Amused, but not really understanding, I went on my way. It wasn't until later that I found my mind returning to this phrase.
  What did they mean by that? After a bit of pondering it suddenly hit me. Desigual was me. The real me. Not the me that I put out there for everyone to see for fear of not being accepted. Desigual is the me that proudly wants to display herself in all her quirks and oddness. In short, Desigual is the me who isn't afraid to be me.
  We spend too much of our lives living in fear. An appropriate motto for so many of us is "All Things Motivated By Fear." Afraid to let anyone know the real us. Because if you show them the true you and get rejected, they are rejecting the real you and that hurts a lot more than the rejections of the watered down you you let them see. So we go through our lives displaying bits and pieces of ourselves; letting others determine what bits are acceptable and what bits to hide away from sight. Eventually we find a somewhat acceptable version that everyone is comfortable with, only occasionally dusting off the other parts of us for special events or certain friends.
  So we become a pair of jeans that is devoid of the decorative touches that make us who we are. We may keep a flashy silver emblem on a pocket or a tiny non-offensive design hidden in a seam. While the real us - all the wild colors, the spectacular floral arrangements, and words that inspire us - are removed and hidden before we reach the display window. Eventually, we forget about them ourselves and believe that we really are that worn, unadorned pair of jeans that everyone sees us as.
  We spend all our time worrying about the what ifs of life. What if I get up and dance or sing and people mock me? What if I quit my job I hate to pursue my real dream and it doesn't work out? What if I go out with this person and they break my heart? What if I go attempt to have a relationship with my child and they hate me? What if I tell my parents I don't want want to follow in the family business? Put away all the what ifs and ask what could be. You are so much more than what the world sees. You are Desigual.
  You are a unique and special person and the world is lessened by you not being you. No one has ever had any kind of successful relationship by dabbling in it to see if it works out. I will show them this part of who I am. If they don't laugh at that maybe eventually I will show them another. We don't want to be hurt so we withhold the intimacy and honesty which are the things necessary for it to succeed. Then we use the failure of that relationship to justify our fear in the next one. So be you. If they can't handle the whole you then don't deserve to enjoy the parts they like. Quit testing the waters and dive in. Show them who you are so you don't subject yourself to a life of playing a role you hate. You are Desigual. You aren't a bland zipper hiding itself behind a veil of denim; you are multi-colored various sized buttons standing out fearless and unashamed.
  Desigual doesn't worry what the world thinks. Desigual doesn't mope around, playing the martyr, saying, "Well, that's okay. I'm going to get my reward in the next life." She doesn't play it safe and try not to offend anyone. Desigual knows who she is and doesn't obsess over the people that don't appreciate her, instead she puts herself out there, in all her sparkle and imperfections to draw other Desiguals into her life. 
  Now imagine a life not motivated by fear. You know what, don't imagine it. Just go out there and make it happen. As a great philosopher once said, "Do or don't do. There is no try." You are Desigual. Quit living an existence that doesn't make you happy. Let out the Desigual inside of you. Show the world and everyone in it the beauty and wonder of you and see where it takes you. Everyone's life is a journey somewhere, make that journey to a destination you want to go.