I love my job and all the ridiculous things I get to do - I have the opportunity to oversee talent management and employee relations/engagement and organizational development and compensation (including implementing new programs) and I get to figure out social media plans and go down the rabbit hole of awesomeness when it comes to employee learning and development. My point is I get to do a lot of great things, most of which I love most of the time. But I love other things to (yes, I love my family and all that, but I'm talking about those things we don't talk about much).

I love Doctor Who and Zombies and Comic Books and a slew of other things that I don't mention in polite company or to most of my colleagues. I founded and run an online literary journal that's been featured in ESPN The Magazine. I don't eat meat (aka, I'm a vegetarian, a very husky vegetarian). I know stuff about stuff - not practical stuff, random stuff that is only good if you're participating in a trivia night - I don't know how or why I know things, I just do. I'm a bit of a freak.

And so are you.

The thing is, all the bits and pieces, sprockets and widgets that make up you are what make you the person people want to work with, grab a beer with, run a project with, or bring on board for a new opportunity. Being who we are, all of what we are, is what lets us be awesome. 

So, don't tell me there aren't things about you that you take pleasure in that you've to this point not gotten braggy about on Facebook or with the person in the cube/office next door. Don't tell me that your world consists solely of waking up, getting sheveled*, commuting, working, commuting again, eating, watching crappy television and sleeping. No, really, don't tell me that - it sounds awful. Plus, I'm sure it's a lie. You have interests, you have hobbies, you have things you like to do or think about or places you like to go or music you like to listen to. You have lots of things that are your make up, things and talents that maybe you didn't realize you weren't sharing with your friends or family or others who might enjoy the same stuff or benefit from your perspective.

Now, that I've got you thinking about who you are or who you want to be (at least I hope I have you thinking about it), I'm going to hand it over to someone much more competent to discuss the concept of letting our freak flags fly - Joe Gerstandt. Check out what Joe has to say in the video below and then start getting your awesome on, your freaky freaky awesome.



* the opposite of disheveled; also a word I probably just made up.