Different - Personal Practice

I was told this past week that "Different" is my favorite word.

I didn't disagree!

I'm always looking for a way to be different or to do something different.  

I want everywhere I go to be different.  I want to wear my clothes different.  I want my house to be different.

I want every yoga class I teach to be different.

Then I started to think that I may be pushing this different thing a bit too far.

I noticed how hard I fight things that I perceive as being main stream or like anything someone else may have or do.

I started to think about the things I thought I'd have in my life and how different my life is from my plans.

I challenged myself to embrace the things that I have or do that may be perceived by others and myself as main stream.  I asked myself to let go of the worry with regard to how I'm not different like I thought I'd be according to the plans.

But because it isn't to plan, isn't that different?

I think so.

I look back at all the things that went according to plan, how I forced myself, others, or things to be just so.  Those were mostly miserable experiences.  

Do I want to push my ideal of perfection, or do I want to be imperfect and different and embrace this moment for what it is?  I choose the latter.

I suggest to anyone to question differences, but also to question why different may be "in opinion" good or bad.

Look deeper.  Different is a perspective and it may or may not be shared by others around you.

Regardless I choose to embrace "different" and I hope others do too!