Hi Readers,
I was listening to the radio today and heard that the average person curses 16 times a day.
I am below average. This means there are those out there who curse more than 16 times a day. That is not to cast judgment on those who do curse. I wasn’t raised in an environment where I heard curse words a lot.
This started my line of thinking on what is average? Why do we expect everyone to be average?
In this newsletter:
Constant reminders of not being average.
A lesson to relearn.
Celebrate the differences.
I’m A Below-Average Standout
It is obvious that I am below average in several ways.
This was certainly true when I went shopping today. In fact, it’s obvious in most stores I shop in. It has nothing to do with my language. It’s my height. I am short.
In the grocery store, I must ask for assistance to reach the top shelf in most aisles. Once I was wacked in the face with a package of toilet tissue when I tried to be resourceful and grab the package’s bottom edge.
I am often reminded by others I know that I am lacking in height. I hear, “You’re short” or “I’m taller than you” more often than I would like.
Today, I was shopping for pants or a skirt. I went in two stores with a lot to choose from - a lot of average sized pants and skirts. Are all women “average”? I know there are many as short or petite as I am. What about the other end of the spectrum? There are tall people, too.
Why is so much targeted to the average?
What Works For One Doesn’t Work For Another
I learned many lessons raising my first son. I felt confident when my second son was born. I had parenting down pat.
There was only one problem and it turned out to be a big one. My second son was nothing like my first. They had totally different personalities. So what worked on one could not successfully be applied to the other.
We learn this lesson over and over.
As a educator, I saw other teachers, and myself, think that because they have a breakthrough with one student, it will work for all. A teacher needs to walk into a class prepared for their students’ differences.
Honestly, we would be bored if everyone was the same.
You Can’t Be Average
When you compare yourself to the average, you’ll just find you’re not like anyone else.
There is nothing wrong with average, except it just doesn’t exist. It’s a term that’s overused. Even average has a range and within that range you may see a big difference. Try telling a parent their child is just average, and they will list the ways in which they are not average. They are right.
Whether it’s how much you curse, something about your physical appearance, or one of the hundreds of others ways you are different, they keep you from being average. We need to celebrate those differences. They are what makes us interesting and fun to be around.
We need to be grateful that we are not average. Our strengths and weaknesses make us not average, both of which draw us to others in different ways. Because we are not average, we need each other. You have strengths to offer others and others have strengths to offer you.
I might find a pair of pants or a skirt that fits, but I might have to buy them six inches too long and find a friend or seamstress to alter it. Or, I may need to ask the petite classmate of mine where she shops. Maybe my daughter-in-law has suggestions.
Yes, not being average is a good thing. It will help me connect with others.
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:
Chances are, one or both of the fawn siblings in the picture above are not average. 🦌🦌
Sometimes it’s difficult to be grateful for our shortcomings (pun intended). However, the more you practice gratitude the easier it becomes to be gratful for what we don’t have. 🙏
It’s a good thing if your child makes As, Bs, or Cs in school. I met with many parents concerned about Cs. That’s considered an average grade. 🏫
It’s a good thing to embrace your differences so you can learn how to use them to benefit yourself and others.
This article talks about some advantages of being different.
Our differences give us an opportunity to be an example for others struggling to accept their differences.
I am grateful for my differences because they give me a unique perspective.
Thank you for reading. Do you embrace your differences?
Until next time,
💚
Susan
What different strength do you have that others depend on? Leave a comment and let me know.
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I have a 2nd newsletter about journaling. It’s a great way to learn about journaling, especially if you are new to the habit. If you are interested or know someone who would be, check it out at From The Pen’s Nib: A Commonplace Book About Journaling.