Why Be Normal
@Kouponkaren (5487)
United States
June 30, 2022 10:24pm CST
All of my life people have always told me I am "unique." Well, sometimes they called me weird, and that was okay with me. I used to wear a pin on my backpack that said, "Why Be Normal?"
I have found it to be a much more interesting life to go my own way and not follow the crowd. My mom was a big crowd follower and always tried to get me to wear what was in fashion or get my hair cut the way the other girls did.
Tonight my husband and I were talking about our bedtime routines. He is an early riser and I am a night owl. Although I wish he would stay in bed with me in the morning, he gets up at 7 am every day.
I on the other hand don't really seem to be able to be fully awake until 10 am, so I get up between 9 and 10 am. This bothers him a lot (we have been married 12 years) and he can never accept it. We both work from home and have our own schedules so when I wake up doesn't matter work-wise.
Tonight he asked why I get up so late and he actually said the words, "Well, compared to other people's schedules..." and I stopped him right there and asked him not to compare me to other people. I reminded him that I have always danced to the beat of my own drum.
Do you tend to go with the crowd, or dance to the beat of your own drum?
16 people like this
19 responses
@MarieCoyle (28466)
•
1 Jul 22
I'm with you. I love being a night owl. I get up early if needed, but I prefer it's 9 am at least before I face the day and have my coffee.
I, too, march to my own drummer. For too many years, I felt I had to conform to someone else's drum, which was not in sync with mine. You go, Karen!
4 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28466)
•
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren
It's 2 AM and I am heading to bed to try to sleep. I was doing a lot better for a time on going to bed earlier. But I've been so busy and stressed with my son's illness, I have not been doing as well on the sleep thing. Luckily, the night owl thing is still strong in this girl.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@MarieCoyla
Aw, thanks Marie. What time do you go to bed? My perfect sleep hours would be 2:00 am until 9:30 am.
1 person likes this
@kareng (54598)
• United States
1 Jul 22
I dance to my own drum. My hubby is an early bird too. Since he has retired, if he gets up first he makes his own coffee and leaves me alone. He knows that I get my best sleep from 5 am to 7-8. He also knows that if I don't get "good" sleep, that I will be grouchy!! Now, if I could just train him to make breakfast for me..haha! That wouldn't work, I don't like to eat when I first wake up anyway!
3 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
1 Jul 22
I am like you. I don`t mind about others fashion or style in life. I do what I am happy to do 
2 people like this
because I`m just a simple person 
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@m_audrey6788
You chose a good name for yourself on here then ...simply me!
1 person likes this
@ihasaquestion (8274)
•
1 Jul 22
I follow my own style and musings. It's great to be uniquely you.
2 people like this
@ihasaquestion (8274)
•
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren That's true. We should just be ourselves no matter what.
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@ihasaquestion
Yes, it truly is. Some people are afraid to be themselves though and have a lot of anxiety about not fitting in.
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
1 Jul 22
I am one person who never follow the crowd I enjoy my own company and go with my own principles
2 people like this
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren yes they think being alone makes them viewed as bad people and it's not that way
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@Laurakemunto
Good for you. I enjoy my own company also, but many people I know are afraid to be alone.
1 person likes this
@xstitcher (30283)
• Petaluma, California
3 Jul 22
I've never gone with the crowd for numerous reasons.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
1 Jul 22
I never went with the crowd. Never wore what was in fashion and always cut my hair as I like it to be, not because it is or not in fashion. My husband is like me, even more "unique" in the sense that if it's "popular" he dislikes.
We both have the same daily routine, we get up at 5 in the morning, we go to sleep at 10:30 in the evening.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren - We have worked together during all our life. It would have been a problem if we had a different routine. We have a lot in common or our marriage would have not lasted 51 years.
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@LadyDuck
That is good for a married couple to have the same routine. Doesn't happen in our home, but fortunately he and I have other things in common.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95136)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Jul 22
I have never went by what others are doing. I am a night owl too.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@wolfgirl569
Good for you and I guess we have some things in common.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@RubyHawk
Seems there are a lot of people here on myLot that feel the same way. I think we could have a pretty neat drum circle on here, LOL!
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15732)
• Raurkela, India
1 Jul 22
I dance to the beat of my own drum and don't like going with the crowd.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15732)
• Raurkela, India
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren Yes, going with the crowd means getting lost in the wilderness.
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@aninditasen
It seems there are a lot of us here on myLot. Unless the crowd followers are just not respinding!
1 person likes this
@PinkFloydFan (1072)
• United States
1 Jul 22
I march to my own drum beats :)
You might as well be yourself - everyone is already taken! And you wouldn't want to ever betray yourself, since you have to live with yourself.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@PinkFloydFan
Yes, but many people cheat themselves out of a happy life by following the crowd.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (13315)
• Hong Kong
1 Jul 22
I go my own way most of the time. I wear the clothing I like and have the hairstyle I feel comfortable with. However, if I'm with friends or family members, I sometimes compromise and try to reach a consensus with them on issues like dining at which restaurant, which country we would like to visit.
2 people like this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@Beestring
Yes, sometimes that is necessary to have a happier experience when it involves other people. That is totally understandable.
1 person likes this
@sica98 (2441)
• Malaysia
1 Jul 22
I like the fact that you are unlike everyone else i know in my life and that's what make you a unique person to be able to think differently than everybody else who always stick to the same routine and by the way i am not really into the crowd either and I definitely dance to my own drum that's the one definite in my life
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@sica98
Good for you on dancing to your own drum. I think it makes some people uncomfortable because people may look at them or point them out to their friends because they think or act differently, but if a person has enough self-confidence, I think it's important to be who they really are!
1 person likes this
@sica98 (2441)
• Malaysia
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren Yes it is all about self confidence and you must learn to accept and trust yourself. Having a positive view on your self.
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@sjvg1976
Yes, that is true. People who follow the crowd are not very memorable.
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
1 Jul 22
When it comes to the sleep pattern, you can only follow your own rhythm. It's not possible to change this. - I'm a night owl, my husband was the opposite. I think we avoided several discussions by not being able to listen attentively when the other was talking and ready for a debate.
1 person likes this
@ketinaharriet (397)
• Nairobi, Kenya
1 Jul 22
When not waking up early to go to work I wake up around 9 to 10am. I like being unique atime
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@ketinaharriet
What time do you have to wake up for work?9 to 10 am is the best time for me to wake up.
@Kandae11 (53679)
•
5 Jul 22
@Kouponkaren l am in my bed somewhere around 8 p.m. My last meal for the day is usually around 4.30 or 5 p.m.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
6 Jul 22
@Kandae11
Oh my, that IS early. I would feel like I wasted the evening if I went to bed that early. But you probably feel that people like me that wake up at 9:30 am, probably waste a good part of their day?
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
5 Jul 22
@Kandae11
Oh yikes, that is very early. What time do you go to bed?
1 person likes this
