I would like to dedicate this blog to the imperfect, those were told they were not good enough, the brilliant minds who have had their ideas laughed at and to those who were excluded simply for being "awkward."
We live in a society that strives for perfection and avoids shame. Embarrassment is something we avoid like the plague. Our life is spent chasing "normal," but do we really know what it is and where to find it? You can blindly follow the herd in the never ending quest for normal or you can stand out of the crowd and embrace awkwardness.
Being awkward is defined as an uncertainty or a lack of confidence in social situations.
Gaining that confidence can be done simply by being able to laugh at yourself. Take advantage of the awkward moments and use them to your benefit, get noticed for being you. After all, it's the socially awkward characters like Ellen DeGeneres, Sheldon Cooper and Mr. Bean that are the most entertaining to watch. Their openness to awkwardness is what allows us to relate to them.
Awkwardness is a natural part of our lifestyle. Living in an imperfect world, we have to face the reality that embarrassing situations and awkward moments are most often beyond our control. President Obama experienced his own share of awkward during a recent event in California in which he was left speechless due to not having his speech with him at the podium. Though his awkward moment was broadcasted live, he managed to handle it with a smile, showing that one unfortunate encounter should not let you lose optimism for future interactions. There will be those who will laugh at you and those that will laugh with you. Realize that just about everyone is insecure in their own way, some are just very good at hiding it.
While today's graduations and award ceremonies honor perfectionism, I'd like to appreciate those who have perfected the art of awkwardness. While their ideas may be laughed at today, some day the tables may turn. Take for example the list of nine ridiculous ideas that made people rich -- you might be guilty of even owning some of these items.
Many are unaware of how many people tend to share the same thoughts and insecurities that come with awkwardness. Awkward people fear of being seen as "strange" but often don't realize that we are all a bit of strange.
So here's to all who are awkward. Who you are is truly unique and needs to be appreciated.
Let's start by making awkward the new cool, tweet your thoughts using the #powerofawkward or comment below and let the power of awkward be appreciated!