Standing Out and Being Unique: What Values Does This Bring Us?

We have all heard the famous quote by Coco Chanel: “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” Being unique and learning how to be comfortable with sticking out often comes with age and experience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t something we should be teaching our girls from the get-go.

After talking to some of our Indica girls, we realized that a big reason why young people are so afraid of being unique is that they don’t see the point. Attempting to stand out can be scary and forces you to use up a lot of your confidence, so why even try? Well, we’re here to tell you that there are so many values that being unique brings our girls! Here are some of the reasons why we think it’s worth encouraging them to stand out:

• It reminds them that being different is what makes life more fun. We all have different talents, hobbies, and interests. If we all focused on the same thing, then life would get pretty dull! Encourage your girls to be vocal about what makes them unique and be open about sharing it with others.
• It will encourage other girls to do the same. Our girls have all recognized some shy kids in their class. They might even be one of them! By embracing what makes them unique, they can promote self sharing with others. This will help foster an environment of openness and excitement! Starting a cycle of celebrating their uniqueness and making it socially acceptable. It inspires and gives other the permission to be themselves.
• It will boost their confidence in the long term. Confidence comes from within and being comfortable with yourself is one of the ultimate ways of earning it. So, teach your girls to wear their uniqueness with a badge of honor and use it as a confidence-boosting skill! It’s a skill that will serve them over and over in life – from the playground, to the sports field right into the boardroom (or zoom room, rather!).

As parent we have a significant role in demonstrating this skill. So, the sooner we get comfortable with our own confidence dance, the sooner it becomes a way of life in your home and ultimately, your daughter’s life.