I still remember the first time I wore leopard-print pants in public.
It was a Wednesday. I had an iced latte in one hand, mild anxiety in the other, and exactly zero business walking into a coffee shop dressed like a disco ball had gotten frisky with a safari guide. But there I was—strutting (read: internally spiraling) across a sea of denim and neutrals, feeling both foolish and fully alive.
That, my friends, is what Marilyn Monroe was talking about.
“It’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
Let’s talk about that.
The Myth of Playing It Safe
For a good chunk of my life, I tried to blend in. I thought it was safer that way—less awkward, fewer questions, no raised eyebrows. If I could keep my head down, wear “sensible” shoes, and stick to polite opinions, maybe I could make it through life unnoticed and unscathed.
Spoiler: I was very bored. Worse, I was boring.
And here’s the kicker—I wasn’t even happy. I was just… beige. You know that feeling when you’re in a conversation and your brain goes, “Are we really talking about the weather again?” Yeah. That was my whole existence for a while.
But being “normal” is exhausting. It’s a full-time job with no benefits and a dress code that sucks the soul out of you.
The Power of the Ridiculous
There’s a kind of magic that happens when you stop trying to be digestible and start letting yourself be a little absurd. Whether it’s fashion, opinions, hobbies, or how you decorate your living room (hello, disco ball in the kitchen), leaning into the ridiculous is like giving yourself permission to actually be a person.
Not a carefully curated brand. Not an algorithm-friendly highlight reel. A human being, weirdness and all.
Some of the most delightful people I’ve ever met are gloriously ridiculous. One friend wears socks with avocados on them and swears by peanut butter on pizza. Another sings show tunes in public like we’re in a live-action musical. And I love them for it. Not because they’re “quirky” but because they’re alive in a way that people who cling to conformity often aren’t.
Fear of Cringe Is Killing Us
Okay, not literally, but stay with me.
We live in a time where being “cringe” is treated like a social death sentence. Express an unpopular opinion? Cringe. Post a vulnerable thought online? Double cringe. Try something new and flop? Oh no, eternal internet shame.
But guess what—ridiculousness is where growth lives. Creativity lives there. Joy lives there. All the most unforgettable stories I have (and probably you too) came from moments where I was slightly out of my depth, a little over-the-top, or laughing too hard to care how I looked.
Playing it safe won’t give you stories to tell. Being ridiculous will. (Plus I find the word ‘cringe’ so…..cringe!)
So What If They Think You’re Weird?
This is the part where I get a little soapbox-y, so buckle up.
People are going to judge you no matter what. You might as well give them a damn good show.
Wear that neon jacket. Take up pottery even if your first bowl looks like a tragic ashtray (like mine did). Start a blog with twelve readers (hi, Mom). Go salsa dancing even if you’ve got two left feet and one of them’s on fire. Just… do the thing. Whatever it is.
Because living loud, living honest, and yes—living ridiculous—is the only antidote I’ve found to the soul-numbing dullness of being “normal.”
So, yeah…
I’ve learned more about myself in moments of absurdity than I ever did in quiet compliance. So here’s where I land: If the choices are between being a little cringe or being completely forgettable, I’ll take cringe with a side of glitter, thanks.
Life’s too short to be beige.
Go be ridiculous. Marilyn would’ve approved.
P.S. I just got me some purple eyeglasses and I love them! My spouse says I’m cultivating my Dame Edna persona…perhaps I am.
Have you grabbed a copy of my latest book, The Golem’s Guardian? If not, you can grab your copy HERE
