There are many times when I’ve been described as weird; when I got to my late teens, I stopped taking that as an insult and owned my weirdness. Maybe this was the first time I used a well-versed coaching technique; reframing the word weird to mean unique! All of a sudden it was something I wanted to be known as. Either way, when I Felicia Day’s book “Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity*” was recommended to me, I felt like it was meant to be!
Day is an author, producer, actor, TV writer and award-winning web series creator; the list of her creative accomplishments make her a perfect person to develop a book that will “take you on a journey to find, rekindle, or expand your creative passions.” Her first book, “You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)” was a New York Times Bestseller; makes me think I’m not the only person who identifies with the trait of weird!
So, before we get into the book, let us consider the link between weirdness and creativity. Whilst the word has got a bad rap over the years, thanks to playground bullies and snarky teenagers, it actually means “mysteriously strange or fantastic; it may imply supernatural strangeness or may stress oddness.” Meanwhile, creativity means “…the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.” Putting those two together you can see it paints an interesting picture of a fantastic person being inventive. All of a sudden it doesn’t sound too bad, right!
This isn’t the first time that a book centred around creativity has appeared in the book club list. It’s something that is often asked for as a skill (how many times do organisations want innovative people) as well as individuals who want to enhance the creative pursuits in their life because of how it benefits their wellbeing. So, I was intrigued to see how this book would come across.
This is an interesting combination of autobiography, comedy and personal development with a extra sprinkle of something I can’t quite name right now! Felicia Day’s writing style is not one that I have come across before, and, at times, I found it a bit distracting; it meant that I would skim some parts to the get straight to the exercises. The book is FULL of creative exercises that get you really outside of your comfort zone. As adults, we have been conditioned to fit into box; to think how others think to play down the parts of us that make us unique. These exercises help you reflect, encourage you to open your mind and tap into all areas of creativity that you may not have visited for a while.
In true Clara Cliff notes style, here are the top things that I have taken away from “Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears And Unleash Creativity.”*
Who did you want to be when you grew up?
All of our experiences over our life (the good, the bad and the ugly) have developed a version of who we are and what we do. Those that encourage us have added a layer of unapologetic creativity, however, those that have criticised have chipped away at our core. Day talks about Our Hero Selves in Chapter Three, which helps you get back in touch with the real you that will find your creative path again. By looking back on how you used to spend your time; how you would play, what you would read and listen to, and where you daydreams went, you can rebuild this Hero Self!
What is your enemy?
Did you notice that isn’t WHO? Day goes through all of the ways we can disengage with our creative self and how that shows up in our lives. It makes sense to us that things like fear, jealously or powerless may get in the way of our big life goals, but she expertly unpicks how these one (or more ) of eight enemies (real and emotional) can get in the way of finding our creativity.
Creativity CAN be pointless
Or, the point is doing!
This is something that has come up before in books like Big Magic and Messy, but within Embrace Your Weird we see fist hand, through the exercise, that the point of being creative is, being creative. We don’t have to create something that will be sold or will change the world (although both of things and more can happen!). It can just be for fun! Now, the process is valuable and can be linked to mental wellness benefits, but that is a nice side effect.
So, if you are on a journey to face your fears and unleash your creativity and want to really move out of your comfort zone, then this is the book for you!
If you would like to read other books from The Balance Collective Personal Development Book Club, then find the reviews here. Carry on the conversation, and join over 500 people looking to create a career to enjoy, in the Facebook Group. You can also find our latest join read-along in the events section.
Clara Wilcox is a straight-talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective has a social mission, focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance. Isn’t it time to create a career to enjoy? Find the latest online workshops here.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
