I hate this tag line not just because it's so cliche but also because it misleads other people to believe they actually are better than the others. It super-sizes a lot of egos and keeps a lot of chins down as well. (See how powerful advertising is?) It is seen in almost every blog, Facebook profile, and e-mail signature, often in big, red, and bold characters. Saddening how just eight small words can corrupt young minds everywhere.

I admit to having been a victim of this tag line when I was a little younger and a lot less wiser. I lived up to its every word, thinking a girl like me with such low self-esteem could pull off a red tank in a sea of Plain Janes wearing pastel. I wore heels around those taller girls who made me feel less prettier because I was inches shorter with just flats. Those were hard times and I sure needed to cope up. I believed I stood out, but I was never happy or at least satisfied. Nothing feels happy when it's forced.

I understand that everyone feels the need to stand out once in a while. It is surprising, however, that it is mere insecurity that drives us to want to stand out. A person who is more or less contented with his or her life would ask for nothing more than the simple things.

Do not dwell on this tag line. It does not deserve to be made or counted as someone's motto. First of all, you are unique, yes--just like everyone else. We are all more alike than different. It is our own personal experiences that make us different. Then again, we all hurt, cry, laugh, and smile for almost the same reasons. Also, we are all driven by goals that, come to think of it, are almost all the same. (There will always be at least a hundred of people in the whole world who share the same goals or passions you have, no matter how nonconforming or unique you think they are.) Other people also do not deserve to be labeled Plain Janes and Average Joes. Silent waters most of the time run deep. Simple does not always mean boring. (I've had enough of cheap talk, flashy red outfits, copycats who think they get away with copying stuff, exaggerated laughs, Paris Hilton quotes, and high, high heels anyway.)

You see, a person's worth isn't always about the way he or she talks, dresses, walks, and acts. A person's worth is determined by the good he or she has done to his or her fellowmen, not by how good he or she is at outdoing others.

And as for me, I don't care about standing out. All I want to do is to be myself and live life with my own way of thinking, my own style, my own principles... I don't really care if someone else shares them with me (as long as I know the person isn't just another one of those copycats lurking around).

Don't try standing out, it just won't work. Don't act like a conceited witch with an overinflated ego. Nothing beats being yourself. You'll find yourself happier and freer in no time.