I’m a fairly private person. For example, I don’t put pictures of my children on social media. It’s just not for me. I’m not saying anything about people who are doing that. Just an example of my weird.

I hear “bring your full self to work” a lot. At my day job, and elsewhere. Frankly, I don’t want to bring my full self to work. I overheard someone say instead of bringing your full self to work, just don’t hide your weird.

Now that really struck a chord with me. Within the bounds of work, but more importantly, everywhere. We’re all weird. In some ways, shapes and forms.

I know someone who crochets Baby Yoda’s. Awesome.
I know someone who paints miniature figures. Awesome.
I know someone who makes stop motion animation in their basement. Awesome.

And I also know someone who has an entire fantasy world in their head. This is a fully realized world with backstories, thousands of years of history, characters, themes, plot points, conflict, resolution. It’s as big as Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. It is a huge body of interesting work. Awesome!

They won’t share it with many people. Not awesome.

We all need your weird!

Postit notes? Apparently, someone’s random idea during a brainstorming day at the company 3M. Weird.

Gravity? Apparently an apple falls and hits this dude sitting under a tree, and now we know a little more about how the universe works. Weird.

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry out their dream.”

- Les Brown

Purpose

I’ve spent many hours trying to figure out my purpose. I’ve read a bunch of books on it (How to Begin is my personal favorite), done self reflection retreats, spent hours doing one of those Ikigai maps.

I used to get mad at myself because I couldn’t identify a purpose. Or I would have a one for a minute, and then shift to something else.

I’m changing. Maybe it’s cause I’m 50 years old, and exhausted all the time. Or I’m really valuing the thoughts that the past is gone, clouded with the imprints I put on it. And the future is never clear. So all I have is this moment. There is no previous and next. There is only becoming.

So I decided to focus on comedy writing and performing as my weird. For now. And I am OK with that. Is it my purpose? Will I do it forever? I don’t know.

I do know our next sketch comedy show is on Valentines Day in Portland, Maine and it is going to be so damn fun!

Come to the show!

Unhide your weird

So, that’s kinda what this newsletter is going to be about. For now.

I’ll be sharing how I’m dealing with purpose, the weird things I want to make, being OK with being OK. Learning and becoming.

Here’s the blurb.

Sporadically, and sometimes intelligently, Chad Moore shares his philosophy on working at the edge of comfort zones, because life’s too short to not unhide your weird.

I’d love to start conversations with you on your weird. Do you know what it is? What’s the smallest thing you can do to start? Do you know how to unhide it?