Day 22 of 30 days of me

day 22- What makes you different from everyone else

I'm not going to lie; this is a tough one. In reality, there are almost seven billion people on this earth (6.89 billion to be exact). Try to wrap your head around that number. Someone is bound to share every single one of my "unique" qualities. But, I guess I can list off a few qualities that have been mentioned to me over the years that I think make me...well, me.

Sarcasm
Yeah, probably not the best quality ever, but it takes a lot to maintain my sarcastic attitude. I'm pretty proud of it. I've always told people that it is my second language. If you don't like it, well, too bad. It's my sense of humor, and it shapes what I think is funny, who I think is funny, and how I torture people with my verbal prowess.

Confidence
I always thought this was a strange compliment to give me, but I have heard it numerous times in relation to volleyball and most recently, after I came back to the States from Europe. I never really think of myself as confident, but I try to portray it as much as possible. I believe that if you can fake it, you can make it. I came back from Europe with a new sense of self. I became aware of what I was capable of in my own life. I don't need someone to guide me anymore because I am grown up. Well, I'm sure there are things mommy and daddy are still good for. :) Confidence is key. It is easy to distinguish someone lacking in confidence and that affects the way people view you. It isn't something you are born with, but it can be acquired. Just learn to love yourself.

Shyness/Modesty
It is probably in the definition of "modest" that writing that you are modest makes you the exact opposite of modest, but in my situation it is absolutely true. Writing this blog post has been difficult for me because I don't really like to talk about my good qualities. I'm hard on myself, and I know it. Taking compliments has always been a struggle, but I have learned to accept them over the years. I think it goes hand in hand with how shy I can be. Around people I know pretty well, I can be Miss Chatty Cathy, but around those that I do not know, I am as quiet as can be.

Pessimist
Not a good quality, but a characteristic nonetheless. This is definitely something that I need to work on. I like to think that I try to be an optimist, but in reality, I am so a glass half empty kind of person. I never really noticed this about myself until a friend of mine pointed it out. Since then, I have been trying to work on it. And, I think I have had some success. I now recognize when I'm being a bit of a downer and try to fix the situation.
 
Laughter
I think I will end on this one. I. love. to. laugh. This is partially why I am so sarcastic because I get to laugh. I can laugh at myself when I deserve it. I laugh at people I know and love (kind of makes me sound like an asshole, but the laughing is always well deserved, I assure you). And, I love laughing with people. It's good for your abs. It's great for your happiness. And it's even better for your soul. If I get laughing lines when I'm older, I will sport them proudly because that just means I know how to live a little. A quote that my dad has at the end of his e-mails fits this category perfectly: "Those without a sense of humor are at the mercy of the rest of us."