On Being...

p a r t i c u l a r

Important

fashionable

REAL

Interesting.

I kept wanting to write this weekend, but every time I saw my blog I felt... blank. I have nothing interesting to say, I thought. So tonight I sat down and thought about being interesting. I thought about what made people particularly compelling and what I could possibly share with the world that they might enjoy reading.

After twenty minutes on contemplation and no riveting inspiration, I decided to ask my dear friend, Google.

"How to be an interesting person" The suggested search appeared quickly, I'm not the first to wonder, I suppose.

Luckily, the first link sounded promising, 'Succeedsocially.com: Free social skills advice from a former shy, awkward guy." After scanning the article, I realized what I should have realized before I searched. This wasn't something Google could tell me.

In fact, I don't think that anyone could answer.

Really, it's much too subjective of an adjective. What does make people interesting? Nothing really, nothing that you can pin down and put into a definition.

But the thing is, people are!

As I pondered this new thought, I remembered an old internet video series that I love. Jennifer Crandall, from The Washington Post, put together a wonderful collection of interesting people called onBeing. "...onBeing is a video series based on the simple notion that we should get to know one another better..." These Ordinary Joes talk about what they love: their passions, musings, quirks, careers, everything. And you know what? It's interesting.

After re-watching many of these clips I have come to a conclusion: There is no secret ingredient. Nothing you or I can do that automatically makes us "interesting" to the rest of the world. No certain career or mindset. However, I think that loving what you do helps, I think that conforming to your own ideas and not simply following for lack of courage or creativity definitely gives you an edge in that social department. When it comes down to it, though, I think that the old, cliche adage is the only thing that sums it up, and that is

Be Yourself.

Form your own opinion, try new things that you've always wanted to try, speak your mind.

And someone, somewhere will be sure to find you interesting.