Don’t Mind Being Called Different. It Means I’m Writing My Own Story, Not Just Reading Someone Else’s.

✨ This post is part of Today’s Working Woman — a space for real talk, quiet ambition, and everyday growth. Here, we share honest reflections and practical tools to help women show up fully in work and in life. Because being ambitious doesn’t mean being perfect — it means being human, and that’s always enough.

Growing up, I was often told I was “different.” At first, it stung — as if being myself was somehow wrong. But over time, I realized different wasn’t an insult. It was a sign I wasn’t just following someone else’s script. I was writing my own story. And honestly? That’s the greatest compliment I could ever receive.

When I created this content slide last week, I couldn’t help but think of all the wonderfully “different” people in my life. Some are loud and zany, others are quiet and steady, and some appear “seemingly normal” until you realize they’re just as unique as the rest of us. And truthfully? I see myself in all of them.

Here’s the thing: being called different doesn’t bother me. In fact, I take it as a compliment. Because being different means I’m not just following someone else’s script — I’m writing my own story. And isn’t that what this crazy thing called life is all about?

Celebrating the Power of Different

The world will always have rules, norms, expectations, and “standards” of how we should live, work, and succeed. Career paths that are supposed to be linear. Roles we’re expected to play. Boxes we’re supposed to fit into. But here’s the truth: those boxes were never meant to contain us.

Every time you choose your own way, every time you decide to break a rule that doesn’t serve you, you’re not falling short — you’re actually stepping into your true story.

Raising a Hand to Uniqueness

To everyone who’s ever been called “different,” this is your invitation to raise your hand proudly. You know who you are. Maybe you take risks others wouldn’t. Maybe your path zigzags instead of climbing a ladder. Maybe you just see the world through a lens that others can’t quite understand.

And that’s beautiful. Because difference isn’t weakness — it’s the very thing that makes your contribution to this world irreplaceable.

Write the Story Only You Can Write

Happiness doesn’t come from checking every box that someone else created. It comes from choosing your own path, breaking free from the standards that don’t fit, and writing a life that feels true to you.

So if anyone calls you different, take it as confirmation: you’re not living someone else’s life. You’re living yours. And that’s exactly how it’s meant to be.

✨ Just keep writing your story. It was planned just for you.

Practical Ways to Embrace Being “Different”

1.     Stop apologizing for who you are. Your quirks and choices are part of your signature — own them with pride.

2.     Find your people. Surround yourself with those who celebrate your uniqueness instead of trying to smooth it out.

3.     Redefine success on your terms. What matters to you may not look like the traditional “ladder.” That’s the point.

4.     Experiment without fear. Whether it’s career shifts, creative projects, or lifestyle choices — trying new paths is part of writing your story.

5.     Practice self-talk that affirms. When doubt creeps in, remind yourself: Different doesn’t mean wrong. Different means mine.

🌿 For Today’s Working Woman, this is your reminder: you don’t need permission to be different. You just need courage to keep going, one page of your story at a time.

🌿 At Today’s Working Woman, we believe growth happens in community. If this post resonated with you, share it with another woman who needs the reminder — and join us on Instagram [@TodaysWorkingWoman] for daily inspiration, real talk, and quiet ambition. Because your story matters, and we’re stronger when we write it together.