This Is Me

One thing I wish I'd learned much earlier than I did, is that it’s not only OK to be different; it's imperative.

Most of my life I hated my weird name and unusual eye shape.

I hated that I developed before all of my friends and had to wear a bra, under a sports bra AND a vest to hide my DD boobs at just 13.

I was embarrassed that I had to play translator for my friends who couldn't understand my Mum's strong Scottish accent and that in the summer my skin would darken and my hair would lighten so that I looked even more unlike the girls in my class.

I felt awkward that I did highland dancing while my friends were all swimmers and gymnasts.

I was very aware that I was first generation Australian and came from a very diverse mixed race background.

I was also aware that I had odd idiosyncracies and that my humour was always a little off the wall.

I wasn't an outcast or ever friendless, I just always felt . . . different, both physically and emotionally.

Funnily enough, that's the first time I've ever admitted I felt that way, growing up.

But I can, with hand-on-heart, say that many years later and a ton of life experience,

I'm incredibly thankful.

I love that the things that make me unique - that I was once bullied about - are actually now the things that people find most endearing and interesting about me.

These are the things that make us better, that set us apart and give us dimension.

Own them all.