Be Fresh and Original
You may be sick of feeling like the same old boring person every day. Maybe you just can't get excited about anything. Maybe you feel like you don't stand out. Whatever your reason, have no fear -- if you want to be fresh and original, you have to embrace the mindset and the lifestyle. Want to know how to do it? Just follow along.
Contents
Steps
Getting in the Right Frame of Mind
- Focus on your assets. If you want to be fresh and original, then chances are, you have just become a bit bored with being you. Well, if that's the case, that has to change -- today. Instead of thinking that you're a boring person who needs to change completely, start by being positive. Think about all of the awesome things that make you stand out, and only then can you start making a game plan for being even more original.
- Think of your personality. What are your three favorite traits? Are you funny, sarcastic, really smart? Can you be even more that way?
- How about your looks? What are your three favorite physical traits? How can you work them to make yourself stand out even more?
- Over the years, people must have given you compliments about certain aspects of your personality. Which things stood out the most?
- Be honest with yourself. What's one thing you've always liked about your self that you feel hasn't gotten enough recognition?
- Stop thinking you're boring. The next thing you have to do if you want to be fresh and original is to stop thinking that you have to change completely because you just seem plain and boring. Instead, tell yourself that you're a fascinating person -- the world just hasn't figured it out yet. If you want to get anywhere in life, then you have to work on boosting your confidence. You have to love who you are, love how you look, and tell yourself that you have so much to offer to the world.
- Change comes from the inside. First, you have to think that you're an original person on the inside. Then, you can start sharing that originality with the world. There's no point in trying to act original if you feel that you're boring deep down.
- Make a list of all of the things about you that are really interesting. Keep going until you fill an entire page.
- Figure out what you want to change. Okay, so you've realized you're not as boring as you once thought and have boosted your confidence a bit. But something still needs to change, huh? No problem. It's time to do some soul searching to figure out what would make you a more original and fresh person. Once you figure it out, it's time to make an effort to act differently. Here are some things you may want to change:
- Maybe you think that you look like everyone else and have no sense of your own style. Start shopping on your own and wear what makes you feel good instead of what everyone else is wearing.
- Maybe you think you blend in with the crowd at parties, in class, wherever. Make an effort to talk to new people more, to put yourself out there and crack people up, to offer original opinions instead of nodding along with the masses, or just to act a little crazy (in a good way).
- Give it time. You might have come up with the two or three qualities you want to work on to make yourself really stand out. Great. Is it gonna happen overnight? Probably not. If you show up to school acting and looking completely different, people may think you're trying too hard. Instead, take baby steps to get to the place where you want to be. This will make it easier to truly change and will make the process feel more natural.
- If you want to change your style, there's no need to get a complete makeover on the Sunday before school. Instead, start introducing new items into your wardrobe little by little until you've really changed your look.
- If you want to become a more vocal person, start talking more in social situations, little by little.
- If you want to start forming interesting opinions, start reading up on the things you care about instead of blurting out controversial comments that you can't back up.
- Question yourself. Part of being fresh and original means taking a moment to consider where your values, ideas, and opinions come from. Are you really as liberal or conservative as you think? Do you really think you know how people should behave in social situations? Do you really think you know everything there is to know about your favorite subject in school? The more you can turn your world on its head and start looking at old things with a new perspective, the easier it will be to be fresh and original and to start looking at the same old thing in new ways.
- Talk to people who have the opposite point of view about something you feel strongly about. Take the time to really listen to their opinions, not to brush them off.
- Consider why you think a certain way. Is it because of how you were raised, because of where you grew up, or because of the people you hang out with? How many of your opinions are really objective? Not as many as you thought, eh?
- Any time you have a really strong opinion, take a moment to write down what the other side would say and why. This will make you understand your own ideas in a new way.
Acting It Out
- Break your routine. You may not be feeling original because you do the same old thing every single day of your life. So, it's time to mix things up. Start small. Have something different for breakfast. Go to bed an hour later. Take a new route to school. As you get more comfortable, change bigger things. Sit at a different lunch table. Take an interest in a new subject. Spend an evening with a new group of friends. See how much these changes start to affect how you "normally" act.
- Sure, some routine is good. But doing the same old thing every day is exactly what will make you feel like the same old person.
- Forming new habits will make you see that being a different kind of person isn't as impossible as you think.
- Even if you find a new routine that works for you better, don't be afraid to mix that up, too.
- Step out of your comfort zone. If you want to be fresh and original, then you can't just hang on to the things that make you feel super comfortable. You have to try things that make you feel scared, out of your element, confused, or just a little intimidated. This doesn't mean you should get in a knife fight or do a backflip off a skyscraper, but it does mean that you should try doing things that make you feel a bit out of your element, whether it's going to a party where you don't know many people or going to the movies by yourself.
- Make a list of all of the things you are afraid of doing, whether it's hiking or dancing in public. Ask yourself how many of those things are really so scary.
- Do something you know you'll be bad at. That takes some of the pressure to succeed off and will make you have more fun in the process. If you know you're a terrible singer, sign up for voice lessons. Knowing you won't be the next Whitney Houston will take some of the pressure off.
- If you're really afraid to do something, like running a 10K, train with a friend who is an expert. Being with someone who is comfortable doing something even if you're not can make you more comfortable.
- Put yourself out there. If you want to be fresh and original, then you have to be at least somewhat outgoing. Introduce yourself to strangers. Volunteer to go first in a class presentation. Sign up for your school's talent show even if you don't have a talent. Post something interesting and provocative on Facebook. It doesn't matter what you do. What does matter is that you step out of the shadows and get comfortable in the spotlight -- or near it, at least.
- If you're quiet in social situations, try to talk about 30% more the next time. You don't have to dominate the conversation, but you should make an effort to be more talkative.
- Talk to new people. If you're scared to do this, then start by asking them some simple questions first.
- Sign up for an acting or an improv class. They'll get you more comfortable with being yourself in front of an audience.
- Surprise people. Part of being original is going against the expectations people have of you. If they know exactly what you'll do and exactly what you'll say at any given moment, then how can you call yourself an original person? You don't have to act completely weird to surprise people, but you should work on upping that unpredictability factor if you really want to stand out to people.
- Don't be afraid of being a goofball. Do a silly dance or tell a corny joke that you know will make people groan when they least expect it.
- Play a prank on your friends every once in a while. Make sure to get 'em good.
- If you get in the habit of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things, then people will already be surprised when you tell them about your latest endeavor.
- Go on an impromptu adventure. Take a weekend road trip or check out a hidden gem in your neighborhood. Be spontaneous as much as you can and you will keep people guessing.
- Find your own style. If you want to be fresh and original, then you have to look the part. This doesn't mean you should wear bright neon colors or dye your hair pink -- unless that's your thing, of course -- to get noticed. However, it does mean that you should find a hairstyle, a look, and a wardrobe that is unmistakably you. If you shop at the same two stores and look exactly like your five closest friends, then you won't be very original, will you?
- Try shopping in a store you have never set foot in before. You may be surprised by all of the great clothes you will find.
- Check out thrift stores to add some quirky items to your wardrobe.
- You know that clothing item you saw that made you say, "That looks so cute, but I'd never be able to pull it off..." Well, why not? It's time to stop doubting yourself and try it on.
- Get your stores from as many different stores as possible. If you only shop at Macy's, it'll be easier for someone else to replicate your look.
- Sick of the same old haircut? Experiment with a completely new 'do. If it doesn't work, no worries -- just grow it out and try something else.
- Pick up a completely new hobby. If you want to be original, then you should have unique talents. Try something different that you never would have thought would appeal to you, from salsa dancing to violin lessons. Learn Chinese. Become a yoga master. Volunteer in a local soup kitchen. It doesn't matter what you do -- what does matter is that you find something new to be passionate about. Having passion for something different will make you unique.
- If you don't pursue your own interests, then yeah, you won't stand out. You'd rather be "The girl who speaks Chinese" or "the guy who is a curling master" instead of "that person who hangs out in that one crowd."
- Trying new hobbies will also lead you to meet new people, who can also help you gain an original perspective.
- Talk to strangers (the good kind). Part of being fresh and original is being able to engage almost anyone in conversation. Talking to strangers -- provided you don't meet them when they're trying to lure you into their vans with candy -- can help you become more comfortable with yourself, learn to talk to a variety of people, and just become a more engaging, fresh, and original person.
- Start by making small talk with the check-out girl at your local grocery store. The next week, try chatting up the person next to you before a yoga class. What's the worst that can happen?
- Try talking to people you don't know at parties. That's what parties are for, right? If you're more shy, talk to new people while you're standing with mutual friends.
Going the Extra Mile
- Hang out with original people. This one is a no-brainer. If you want to be unique, then you can't spend all of your time with people who have nothing to offer but the same stale, boring opinions. You shouldn't ditch your entire friend group to hang out with a bunch of weirdos, either, but you should seek out people who have unique opinions and different perspectives on the world that can change your own. Original people can be found anywhere: in your own home, in your classes, or at work. Make an effort to seek out people who see the world a little differently.
- When you find these people, ask them lots of questions. Understand where they are coming from.
- Original people aren't the ones who stand out the most or have the loudest opinions, either. You will have to get to know them.
- Form provocative opinions. You shouldn't form radical opinions just to scare people or look like an extremist. Instead, you should do a lot of research; watch documentaries, read different types of newspapers and magazines, and talk to a variety of people before you come to your own conclusions. Then, when you feel comfortable with your original thoughts, start sharing them -- with the people who care what you think, of course.
- Don't jump to conclusions and put it all out there before you can back up your thoughts. It's all about doing your research.
- If you go along with the mainstream about some things, that's perfectly fine. Having a "normal" opinion is better than having a radical opinion just for the sake of it.
- Learn to have educated debates with people instead of just arguing with them. You don't have to be stubborn to be original. In fact, truly original people are comfortable with listening to the opinions of others.
- Travel as much as you can. Of course, this may be difficult on a limited budget, but if you have any money to spare, make an effort to see a new part of the world. If you can't afford it, travel just a few towns over or do some volunteering work in a foreign land. The important thing is that you see how other people live and see the world; bonus points if what you see is pretty different from the way you live your life.
- Make a goal of going to a completely new place at least once a year, even if you're just going to a new state.
- When you do travel, ask as many questions as you can. Talk to the locals. Don't be a tourist and try to get an authentic experience.
- Know the difference between original and being weird. Acting fresh and original is great -- acting just plain weird to get attention is not. This can be a fine line. Some people really are so original and unique that they seem just plain weird because no one gets them; others, however, just seem to act weird to get attention, and those people can look like posers. So, whenever you try to be original, make sure it comes from within, not just because you want people to look at you.
- Wearing a funky bracelet you found in your grandma's jewelry box is original; wearing hot pink pants just to get attention can be seen as weird.
- Telling people something they've never heard before in an interesting conversation is original; blurting out personal or gross information just to raise a few eyebrows is weird.
- Stating a unique opinion in class is original; making weird donkey noises when the bell rings is weird.
- Keep reinventing yourself. Being fresh and original doesn't mean just finding a new "original" way to be and sticking to it. If you really want to be fresh and original, then you have to know that the hunt for knowledge is never over. You can renew yourself; again, again, and then again. Always question your beliefs, seek out new people and activities, and aim to have a fresh perspective as often as you can.
- Though confidence is the key to happiness, there's no such thing as being completely happy with the person that you are. Love yourself -- but always strive for something more.
- This doesn't mean being a tree-hugging liberal one day and a die-hard conservative the next. Reinventing yourself is a gradual process.
- Stop caring about what people think. If you want to be original long-term, then you can't let haters get you down. Sure, there will be people who think you're weird for trying to be original, but is that worse than having people think you're boring -- or even to not have them think about you at all? Work on following your own path instead of being concerned about what other people are doing and thinking, and you will succeed in no time.
- It's great to get advice from friends; it's not great to question what you're doing just because someone not-so-great is questioning you.
- Constructive criticism can help you become a better person; destructive criticism should be thrown out the window.
Tips
- Study and work hard. Accomplishments make you feel good and look great.
- Make friends. They don't have to share same thoughts, hobbies, or philosophies. Make sure that you feel comfortable around a friend.
- Leave boys for last. It's okay to have a crush, but completely falling over because of Mr. Bob over there is worthless, especially if he shows no interest in you.
