When I was a kid, I couldn't understand the sing-song adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Words hurt, a lot.
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And the word that hurt me the most, the one "insult" that someone could call me that would make my fists itch to punch them out cold, was "weird." Not because it wasn't true, because it was - I was a weird kid. But also because in my mind, weird was bad, weird was wrong, and weird was to be avoided.
Now I know how very wrong I was about the word weird. I know this because I learned something about the history of the word, and you know what? It's now one of my favorite words. If you call me weird now, you'll see my face light up with a beaming smile, and instead of my fists clutching to punch you, my hands will open and take your hands into mine and I will simply say, "Thank you. Thank you for seeing my weird." |
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Weird comes from the Old Norse word "wyrd," which means "fate." In mythology, the three sisters of Fate are "the wyrd sisters," and they are weavers. Before we are born, so the myth goes, our fates are woven into us by the three wyrd sisters. The sisters "wyrd" us - so to be weird is our fate. And that makes being weird a gift, something to be embraced, a way of accepting and embodying our fate.
I heard what's probably an apocryphal story that the great mythologist Joseph Campbell, that before he came up with his bumper-sticker memorable saying, "Follow your bliss," he actually thought we should follow our wyrd instead. Doesn't matter if it's true - I think it's brilliant. Instead of running away from my wyrd now, I'm going to follow it until the end of my life.
And I want you to as well. That's why I've created this 16 part program, "Tracking Your Wyrd."
I heard what's probably an apocryphal story that the great mythologist Joseph Campbell, that before he came up with his bumper-sticker memorable saying, "Follow your bliss," he actually thought we should follow our wyrd instead. Doesn't matter if it's true - I think it's brilliant. Instead of running away from my wyrd now, I'm going to follow it until the end of my life.
And I want you to as well. That's why I've created this 16 part program, "Tracking Your Wyrd."
TRACKING YOUR WYRD
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By signing up for this program, you'll receive access to 16 "love letters," 16 web pages focused on a different topic circling around our wyrd, each containing inspiring quotes, examples of famous folks and their wyrd, questions for further reflection, and other bonus content. Topics will include:
Move through each letter at your own pace (one per week is suggested). When you sign up, your access to each letter never expires. |
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Each love letter is designed to encourage you to expand and express your wyrd, which is another way of saying, to become more yourself, to embody more fully your own "one wild and precious life" (thanks Mary Oliver, for having been your wyrd!). You'll discover all kinds of magical things about yourself as you uncover the ways the Fates wyrded you, all the while recovering parts of yourself you may have pushed away while attempting to fit into this world and be normal (whatever that is!).
I cannot emphasize enough the value of this course. The originality of Jennifer's thinking coupled with her generosity in each of these letters is really remarkable. I will continue to return to these letters for inspiration -- there's so much gold to mine in each one." Lucchia V.
I loved working through the journal questions Jennifer provided in each letter. Every week I would discuss them with my therapist, and, no joke, she's actually recommended Jennifer's program to other clients now!" Beth R.
WANT TO TRACK YOUR WYRD IN MORE DEPTH?
Consider registering for my course "Deep Vocation: Finding and Following Your Life's Purpose, Passion, and Pleasure" which is devoted to connecting your calling - the work you're here to do in the world - to your wyrd.