Okay gorgeous girls – it’s Monday morning and what better way to kick things off than by flying your Freak Flag, non?

What exactly is a Freak Flag, you ask?

Well, when I think of flying my own Freak Flag, I think about letting my eccentricities, quirks and offbeat ways win out without worrying about so-called social norms.

‘Tis true, I have a touch o’ the kooks.

I have my own vocabulary that I forgot not everyone has access to – it’s refered to rather affectionately by my beau, as ‘Lisa-isms’, I wear accessories that might not be deemed entirely ‘appropriate’, I am determined to be girly no-matter what and yes, that does mean wearing heels in the snow, I sometimes get so angry I say curse words that would make a sailor blush, I eat my dessert before my main meal just in case I get too full and miss out on dessert entirely, I have an unabashed love of boy bands, and… well, quite frankly, my list could go on indefinitely.

The point is, when we give ourselves a permission slip to ‘fly our freak flag’ we become more authentically ourselves. I know, it sounds simple, right? What I mean is, the more true we are to who we are, and what we believe, the easier life becomes. How do I know? Well, I spent a HUGE part of my twenties, trying to be someone I wasn’t – a skater girl, a hipster, a perfect girlfriend, a huge success, a size 12, a picture perfect reflection of the girls in magazines, a grown-up – yet when I stopped trying to be what I thought everyone wanted me to be, things started to fall into place.

The lesson? Rather than trying to copy, or be that person or fit in, I dare you to be still, listen to the whispers of your heart and follow it’s call – really, I dare you. Go do it now.

My whole world has become a substantial slice o’ awesome pie since I have given myself permission to embrace my kooks and quirks. When I stopped worrying what people might think of me if I did this, wore that, said this, wrote that, it was as if a miracle had occurred.

It’ll happen for you too if you just allow the real you to emerge, and to forget and not care what other people may say. The thing is – and I’m letting you in on a Sassy Secret here – people ‘usually’ go one of two ways: either they’ll be the kind o’ person who are too busy obsessing over their own lives that they won’t even comment on what you’re wearing, doing or saying, OR they’ll be the kind o’ person who will talk about you no matter what you end up doing – so you’ll either be too wild or too boring. Now, what would you rather be?

In his book ‘The Four Agreements’ Don Miguel Ruiz has four rules you should live by and one of the agreements is: “Don’t take anything personally – what you think of me is none of my business.” When you finally subscribe to this belief and do what your heart moves you to do, you’ll feel a huge weight being lifted from your shoulders.”

High fives to that!

To do:

– Where do you fancy going that you would normally wait to go with a beau or a friend? An art exhibition? Coffee and cake at the new art house in town? Whatever you do, do it alone. Set aside a morning/afternoon, dress up, and take yourself on a date – be nice to yourself, spend time with yourself and realise why you’re so freakin’ awesome…because, do you know what? YOU ARE.

– List your quirks, your eccentricities, all the things that make you YOU-niquely you – the things that you may have been mocked for in the past, and celebrate them, each and every one of them by declaring them to the world…

I declare that I, Lisa Clark, am proud to be a magickal minx who has a penchant for pink accessories, all things witchy, boybands, afternoon naps and wearing heels – no matter what.

Your turn…what do you declare?