VIDEO: Embrace Your Weird!
by Lindsey Turnbull
Full Text:
Hi, I’m Lindsey Turnbull, the owner and founder of MissHeard Media. We empower, inspire, and embolden tween and teen girls to be smart, savvy, and global through live events and awesome media.
Today, inspired by the Guava Girl, Isabella…Guava. I can’t remember her last name, but I think she would be OK with being Isabella Guava. Anyway, she was talking about embracing all the facets of your life that make you unique as a business owner. I feel like I haven’t totally been doing that. I’ll wear certain shirts on these videos, but I don’t talk about my “weird thing.”
Really, my “weird thing” is something that is part of my power and I deserve to talk about it. So, you see, I’m wearing my Metal Band Camp Gift Club shirt, which I’ll explain. But my weird thing is that I’m really into extreme heavy metal. THe more loud, abrasive, and indecipherable, the better. It’s fine if you don’t like it- that’s OK! It’s not for everyone. It’s definitely my weird.
In middle and high school, I really got into this style of music. The more involved I got, the more I found a place where I could make friends. THe music made me feel more confident. I had a space and community that accepted me, where I felt like I fit in. And that’s something that I’ve carried to today. Even now, because of my passion for music, I get to work on a heavy metal cruise once a year. It’s so much fun, and it’s all because of this music that we all love. There’s such a community aspect to my weird.
There’s probably a community for your weird too! Whether you’re into making elaborate cosplay costumes, or knitting, or sports, or writing fanfiction, whatever it is, Embrace It. That’s a thing that makes you powerful.
In the heavy metal world, I am fortunate to have a great community. I’m friends with people from my favorite bands- when I was a teenager, that was beyond my wildest dreams, and now as an adult, I get to call some of those people my friends. It’s so incredible. There’s Metal Band Camp Gift club, which a few friends started one holiday season. Instead of doing secret Santa, we were encouraged to buy someone an album from their wish list. It’s so nice to get a surprise album from someone who is extending kindness- and fun to repay that kindness. That’s just a small portion of how this community makes me feel connected, like I have a place.
It’s been amazing to make new friends all over the world too. When I had a weird long layover in Amsterdam, a heavy metal friend of mine took me out to breakfast to help me kill an 8 hour layover. Its those little things that keep us connected. I am so fortunate to have these amazing friendships, and they make me feel more confident.
Whatever your weird is, you should embrace it! Whether it makes you feel good, or more connected, whether it inspires you, motivates you to act, whatever it is, that thing that makes you a little weird can also make you powerful. Embrace that thing! You never know where it could lead. It could lead to working on a heavy metal cruise- or your favorite con, or writing a cool fanfic, or whatever. You never know! Leaning into that thing that makes you a little weird can be really powerful- and that’s important.
Whatever your weird thing is, that you feel like your friends don’t really get, I promise you, there is a whole community out there into that same thing. IF you embrace it and tap into it, it can lead to wonderful things. Included in those wonderful things are feeling proud, confident, inspired. You may feel inspired to join an activism group, or organization, or to stand p for someone at school. And that’s how the world changes- by feeling that power.
One of the things that can make you feel more powerful is the Unleash Your Girl Power eBook. I am so proud of this revamped eBook, which was originally a Kickstarter reward last year. I got feedback from real teen girls from around the world and included their notes and ideas and I feel like the resulting ebook is special. It’s not quite a journal, or a pep talk, or a workbook, or advice from your big sister…but it’s all of those things and more.
By the time you go through the whole ebook, you’ll have a much better sense of who you are and what moves, motivates, and inspires you and how all of that contributes to your power! And how you can use that power to change the world.
I hope you’ll check it out! I know you’re going to love it and it’s going to be a great tool for you to use and refer to- and go back in a year and see how you’ve changed.
So, embrace your weird- because it can give you so much confidence and pride and inspiration. Even if it feels like no one else nearby that gets it, I promise, lean into it, you’ll find your people, find your community and you’ll feel really good while you do it.
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Mix Music With Your Writing! by Olivia Marcum