As we go through life, we realize that what we like, what we think, and what we desire is not the same for everyone. Everyone has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, passions and hobbies. These unique characteristics are what shape is into who we are as individuals. Each of us has a unique combination of traits, skills, and abilities that make us stand apart from everyone else. These aspects of our personalities give us a distinct identity, and influence our actions and decisions in life.
This can cause many conflicts, but once we come to an understanding of the characteristics or unique traits that shape each person, we can be more at peace with the fact that everyone is special in their own way.
We are all individuals, but what exactly makes everyone a truly unique person and what does it mean to be unique? Let’s explore more below:
What Does It Mean To Be A Unique Person?
To be a unique person means that you are one of a kind and no other person is exactly like you. This uniqueness partly comes from within, shown through our actions and behaviors.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the meaning of unique is “being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. “Being without a like or equal and able to be distinguished from all others of its class or type” is the definition in the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
You may admire the fashionable way a friend dresses and even buy the same clothes and accessories to copy their look.
The clothes will not make you look identical. They will appear differently on each person and you will have a unique appearance.
Identical twins may look exactly alike but they will be their own person in mannerisms, temperament, intelligence, etc.
No matter how hard we try or want to be just like someone else, perhaps our favorite movie star, it can never be.
Each one of us is our own unique human being in many different ways.
15 Qualities That Make A Person Unique
There are many qualities that people possess that are dissimilar to others and make us unique. Listed below are 15 qualities creating uniqueness.
1. Genetics
Our genetic make-up is one component that makes us different from everyone else. Our DNA comes from our parents, which in turn gives us DNA from our recent as well as ancient ancestors.
Other people will receive DNA from their parents, thus making them different from you.
We receive one copy of each chromosome from our mother and our father. Your DNA will differ from a sibling because they will receive different copies of chromosomes, making you and your sibling distinctive in your own ways.
2. Physical Characteristics
Every individual is not physically created the same. Because of our race and nationality, we are a melting pot of colors and each color has different shades from fair-skinned to dark-skinned.
We are built differently in weight as well as height, from small to tall. Some are big-boned, some small-boned.
Our eye colors differ; even when someone has blue eyes, they will never be the same shade. Rarely, someone may have two different color eyes.
No hair color is identical whether blonde, red, brown, black, or gray and hair texture, thick, fine, curly, wavy, and straight is never the same.
3. Personality
From the day you’re born, your personality begins to form your character, temperament, and behavior.
Every success and downfall, experiences, both good and bad, the knowledge we acquire, and observations we make all mold us into the person we become.
We may receive different beliefs as we grow and gain our own, but our beliefs and others will never be totally the same.
4. Attitude
Everyone has a distinct attitude, which is a way of feeling or thinking about people or things that reflect in the way a person’s behavior is presented. Human beings are either pessimist, negative, or optimist, positive.
This is the way in which people perceive the world. These attitudes are usually formed from your surroundings and can be infectious.
A person’s enthusiasm for life can be contagious and makes those around them feel upbeat. Many are drawn to these types of people.
On the other hand, negativity and a “Debbie Downer” attitude can bring everyone down and they are sometimes avoided and known as a “toxic friendship.”
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5. Perspective
A person’s perspective is their way of regarding things in the world. It is their view of everything around them and their view alone.
You and a friend can attend a concert or movie and perceive or be aware through your senses of two totally different experiences.
That is where perspective and awareness come into play. You can take note of the same things but interpret them in different ways.
This ability to view a situation differently from someone else is another example of what makes each of us unique. It may not always be easy to recognize, but how you look at life and the way you think are important aspects that contribute to your individuality.
6. Habits
Being unique means that we all have habits that are our own, We may have subconsciously acquired them from family or friends or picked them up ourselves.
Habits are a powerful indicator of our personalities and can tell others a lot about us.
Identifying your own habits, whether good or bad, is the first step to recognizing what makes you unique. From there you can work on building new ones and honing in on those that will make a positive impact on your life. This can ultimately help you to strive towards any goal you have set for yourself.
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7. Intellect
Each one of us has intelligence; some more than others. Many have extremely high IQ’s while others are smart in the ways of the world. No matter how you use your intelligence, it is important to recognize and embrace it as part of what makes you unique.
Coming together, using everyone’s degree of intelligence has made for many highly successful collaborations in the world for centuries.
8. Goals
In this life we all have goals. Our direction may take us on the same career path as others, but for contrasting reasons. The end goal may also differ from striving for success, fame, fortune, or family.
No matter which path you choose, staying true to yourself is fundamental. It’s important to remember that developing a unique persona helps define the boundaries of your values and beliefs, and will help you stay grounded in times of adversity.
9. Experiences
Everyone encounters experiences in totally different ways. To some, an adventure may seem like a nightmare. To others, it could be a dream come true! We are all shaped by our own personal experiences and that is what makes us unique.
By understanding that each individual’s journey will be different, we can start to understand and accept the differences in others and embrace our own diversity.
We also experience love and loss differently. For some, the loss can make or break them. Many may become stronger through loss, while others may never recover.
We can never tell people that we understand exactly what they’re going through in love or loss. Each situation is different and each unique person handles these things differently.
10. Relationships
Just as people differ, so do relationships. We have friends, family, lovers, spouses. Every person is distinctive, as is every relationship.
You may have two separate friendships but the two will not be alike. Your spouse may be your ‘best friend,’ but in a different way from your best friend. Our relationships with family will be on an entirely different level.
11. Creativity
Humans are endowed with many types of creativity. It can come in many forms. Building something with your hands, baking bread, dancing, singing, playing a musical instrument, writing, painting are just a few creative endeavors.
Some of us are creative in just one way, while others are a ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to creativity. Whatever the creation, we are all unique in the way it is developed and presented.
12. Passion
All of us show passion for people, pets, careers, and creativity. We all show passion in differing ways and depths. Whether it’s through the power of words, art, music, or even by simply being an open ear. Regardless of how we show our passion, it can shape us into a unique individual and help make a lasting impact on those around us.
13. Communication
Communicating with one another is essential to life itself. We communicate with enthusiasm, loudly, softly, with flowery vocabulary, with simple words, with emotion, gestures, laughter, tears, etc.
We communicate our whole lives and circumstances sometimes dictate how we communicate, all in a unique way that is our own. Our communication style is a key to unlocking our unique personality and helps us form relationships and build trust. It can be used in many areas such as learning, teaching, decision-making, or simply having a conversation with someone.
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14. Humor
Our uniqueness is shown in our sense of humor or lack of humor. Humor is shown hysterically, dryly, sarcastically, and sometimes with abandon.
It is often shown at another’s expense or along with another as we laugh at ourselves.
15. Taste
Our differences are shown in our personal tastes. This ranges from the
Sometimes we share tastes with others, perhaps to be polite, but we never experience them in the same way. Uniqueness makes us taste foods differently and have dissimilar tastes in such things as clothing, cars, art, and music.
What Makes You Unique?
So now that we dived deeper into what makes an individual unique, it’s time to reflect on our own unique persona. To stand out from the crowd, it is important to recognize how your personality and character traits can come together to create a special combination that makes you one of a kind.
Take some time to think about what sets you apart from the rest. Some examples could include:
- Your passion for a particular subject or hobby
- Having an open mindset and looking at the world through creative eyes
- Displaying determination and always striving to be your best self
- Having exceptional problem solving skills that you can use to come up with innovative solutions
When taking into account all of these unique qualities, they should be integrated in both your personal and professional lives. This will help you to be seen as an individual that others can trust and rely on for advice.
In order to truly let your unique persona shine, it is important to find the right balance between staying true to yourself, while also understanding the importance of adapting to fit different situations. This will allow you to show off your authentic side whilst still taking into account the needs of those around you.
Finally, remember that your unique story is something to be celebrated and shared with the world. Don’t be afraid to show off your distinctiveness and let it become a part of who you are. If you stay true to yourself, you can find success in anything you do.
By understanding what makes us special, we can embrace our uniqueness and use it to our advantage.
Final Thoughts
In the world today we all do share some ideas, ways of life, and hope for the future, but we as human beings are each unique individual in a multitude of ways. We should never try to emulate others.
This uniqueness does not make us odd, it makes us who we are. We should just naturally be who we were meant to be, our own unique person.
