Quote Anon

Avaiai means ‘one of a kind’.

To be one of a kind you need to listening to your intuition and not let others actions or perspectives alter your ‘kind’. You have to feel safe in your own skin and lean in to your own calling, despite society being loud and demanding. You have to comfortable in your actions and authentic in every aspect of your life. This of course is a journey and not a destination but the reward is that every now and then the right people notice.

I was in my local shop dropping off and picking up some parcels. The queue was longer than I would like, but I was content waiting. Behind me a little girl of about six years old was making a humongous decision…which chocolate bar to purchase. She was with her Mum who also had a parcel and they queued behind me. The little girl reached out to my hand bag and stuck her fingers in it (it’s sparkles and it’s a textured fabric – it deserved to be touchedd, I didn’t judge her) and said to her Mum that she liked it. I thanked her and told her a little about it. My handbag is a pink Pearlised set of lips, as life’s too short for black/tan/navy practical bags with useful pockets and effective storage solutions. She then looked up and I complemented her chocolate choice, she replied saying she also loved my jacket. This is a recent purchase and is a light fleece that’s lilac and yellow with large smiley faces all over it. Again, I thanked her, acknowledging her compliment.

It was my turn to be served and whilst that happened I explained that I was a foundation Governor at her school, this was mainly a subconscious message to her Mum to let her know I was a safe adult. The parcel I was collecting was a denim pinafore dress with a pink leopard print design, whilst the little girls Mum was organising her parcels I showed my new purchase to her and we agreed on the importance of pockets and that dungaree straps often bought joy.

I then left and felt fully seen.

At six years old I adored denim dresses, pinafores, cardigans, smiley faces, sparkle, glitter and an impractical bag full of nothing usefulness but fun. Despite nearly forty years passing not much has changed. I still like all of those things and dress for me. Of course, there is a time and place for a smiley face jacket and a little black dress still fits some situations, but I’m most authentically me when children complement me.

You don’t have to reinvent yourself as someone else to be ‘one of a kind’ I’m not even sure it’s always a compliment? I am sure, that I’m the best version of me and the happiest version of me when I dress how I want and spend my time doing things that I enjoy. Don’t worry what others are doing, what they’re achieving or how they are climbing various ladders of life. Make sure you have your ladder in front of you. You can then climb the stairs at your own pace and if you ever want to rest, you can. The best kind of ‘one of a kind’ is when you are authentic to yourself. By doing this you attract similar souls towards you and align with your greatest desires. Plus, everyone loves a special edition.