We’ve gots new FREAK FLAGS (Mad Pax giveaway)

by

Last years Mad Pax birthday present.

 

We like Shrek the movie(s).

We LOVE Shrek the Musical.

It’s cute, filled with catchy tunes & it’s a show all of us adore which isnt always the case.

The Tornado & I, however, share the same favorite song.

The first time we saw the musical she immediately leaped to her feet & sang & danced & shrieked with wild abandon.

And it freaked me out a bit (upcoming pun not really intended)

The song? LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY.

Apparently I truly am a misfit guttermind as the song initially made me think FREAKY as in KINKY as in, well, you know where my mind went.  If you’ve never heard the song I highly recommend watching.

It’s EARWORMtastic.

As we exited the theater, both of us singing about our FREAK FLAGS, I stopped to ponder what on earth a FREAK FLAG was.

What the heck we were waving and never taking down.

Stopping singing long enough to pose…

The longer I ruminated the more it dawned upon me the concept of FREAK FLAG for me is almost defined by what it is not:

  • It is not “in your face” merely for the sake of being IN!YOUR!FACE!  I like to think we’ve all done this.  Perhaps only in our youth–but action or attitudes intended to shock, horrify and annoy.  Many people assume my TATTOOS are this.  They’re not.  Which leads me to…
  • Your Freak Flag is NOT necessarily how you look. Once upon a time I met a woman who appeared, to my judgmental eye, exactly as I imagined Stepford Wives to look.  I assumed she’d be boring, uptight & we’d have nothing in common.  Holycrapballs was I wrong. She & I became closeclose friends & I quickly learned her Freak Flag made mine look like the tiny flags suck in club sandwiches.  Your Freak Flag is not necessarily connected to your exterior.
  • It’s not rebelling.  Unfurling and flying that Freak Flag HIGH has absolutely, entirely nothing to do with angst or rebellion.  Period.  It’s self-love and self-confidence at its finest.

So what in the heck is a Freak Flag?

To me it symbolizes:

  • Feeling good about and at peace with who you are.  It’s being Unapologetically Yourself whether that be a tech geek or a member of the marching band.  It’s that sense of feeling *wholly* comfortable in your own skin which emanates from within. It is KNOWING  you are enough precisely as you are.
  • It’s being transparent.  It’s living authentically without hesitation or fear.  It’s letting others see who you are and what you are about.  It is PRIDE in your authentic self & waving that authenticity for all to see.
  • A reminder NOT to harshly judge other people AND also NOT to judge yourself.

Why do I even bring this FREAKY-concept up on a healthy living blog?

Because flying your freak flag allows you to fulfill your life’s purpose and relax into who you are meant to be.

Because it’s amazing, when we do the work to discover who we are really are and are fully honest with ourselves, all things (including health fitness and weight loss) finally click into place.


As a thank you for indulging my FREAK FLAG musings (am I alone in finding this fascinating?) I have a treat for you.

From me.  To celebrate 43.**

A chance to win a new.bumpier. FREAK FLAG like ours:

We love our new Mad Pax backpacks.

You can be entered to win a BUBBLE HALF PACK for the low low price of a comment below.

  • Have you unfurled your Freak Flag yet?  How have you shown the world your *authentic* self?
  • If you still haven’t yet: what’s holding you back??

 

 

**yada yada yada no FTC diZclaimer.  The treat is from the Tornado & me.  USA and CANADA only.  Winner announced 7.20.12

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Comments

  1. I want one so bad! If anyone lets her freak flag fly, it’s me. For reals. Super health nutty and I read Star Wars novels to boot.

    Am I totally immature for having read “max pad” at first? Bahaha. I bring the 12 year-old comments. You still love me, right? :(.

  4. Evi would LOVE this, and I’d have a hard time not claiming it as my own.

    Do I own me? Sometimes. It’s a work in progress for me, learning how to accept and express who I am. I think I do alright though, since Evi at three already seems to be wholly unaware that anyone’s opinions matter more than her own concerning the way she looks or behaves. Love it.

  5. I love these packs and you for doing the giveaway for us.
    I am who I am.
    And I’m not changing for anyone.

  6. Omg, you are so funny. I love it! I am me, like it or not. Pretty transparent, huh?
    Interesting backpack! Fun fun fun

  7. My freak flag is still furled BUT I’d say in the yearish I’ve taken off the wrapper and am untying it…

  8. We love Shrek here too.
    I didn’t know there was a musical.

    My freak flag has withered since I became an adult.

  9. I let the freak flag fly once in a while…a lot of times I like to keep it hidden. I’m shy like that. Love the bags!!!

  10. I love the purple half-pack and would wave it PROUDLY and think of you Mizzy!!

  11. Thank you for this! I struggle with fully unfurling my freak flag, because often when I show some of it, I get shot down… but I’m getting braver and it feels damn good!
    So thanks again for this!

  12. I Lurve these. I am a knidergarten assistant and the children would love it!!! And think I was THE koolest teach’ in town. I like Kindergarten because you can get your Freak flag flying and no=one passes any judgement except wanting to do or try the same thing to see if it works for them :0

  13. I love how you are teaching the Tornado to be who she authentically is.

    I am 52 and not there yet 🙂

  15. I love Shrek the musical but hadn’t thought about what it meant to fly my own freak flag.

    I am “Unapologetically Myself” lots thanks to you, Carla.

  17. I seem to struggle with showing my authentic self and holding back. I’m more apt now to show myself. With my recent weight loss and toning up, I definitely have more confidence to show my true self to others. I think confidence is the key factor.

  18. I LOVE this post! I have recently begun a healthy taking-care-of-myself-because-I-love-me lifestyle. I’ve lost 43 pounds and I’ve gained a whole new attitude on how to respect my body and all of the things it can do! I’m discovering me and what my FREAK FLAG looks like…

  19. I love my Birthday and I drag it out as long as I possibly can!

    My Freak Flag….I was voted ‘WEIRDEST and Most UNIQUE’ in high school. I remember sporting a super short haircut that was fluorescent red and orange, it was like fire! It was super cool! Some may have mistaken me for a troll though (and not the type of trolls we sometimes talk about LOL!)

    I think I’ve always carried my Freak Flag High. I love it. I now have a term for my ‘weirdness’ Thanks! 🙂

    FU
    xo

  20. Pretty sure I wave my freak flag now and then. I don’t need another backback, but I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday week. thank you for being (unapologetically) you!

  21. Not in the US Miz, so not entering… just wanted to say – for me, the freak flag is definitely just about being yourself and ‘to hell’ with everyone else!

    Deb

  22. I always let me freak flag fly. I was told when I was younger I was weird. It has taken me awhile to realize that that is a good thing.

  23. Oh, what an adorable backpack!

    Freak flag? Dance like nobody’s watching, scream in joy like no one can hear you? Yep. Did that just last weekend when the husband finished his 50 mile race. I scared (ok, woke up) a few people but in a moment of sheer joy, you just have to holler sometimes.

  24. If it makes you feel better when I hear the freak flag thing I always go to the kinky place. You’re right though, freak flag doesn’t mean making other people notice you or challenge their own ideas. It’s simply being comfortable with who you are “normal” or “otherwise”. Now if only I can learn and live that concept before I turn 43 ( ;

  25. Id love to win this as I think it would be good for me to have more quirky in my life!

  28. I LOVE you two in those backpacks!!!

    I’ve never been able to hide the “freak” (too stubborn, even when it would have been convenient) but I think I flew the flag at half mast for too long. The great thing about getting older is you start to realize how little it matters if anyone else doesn’t approve, so now I wave it proudly.

    (And while those backpacks are ADORABLE we’re in paring down mode right now so no need to enter me.)

  29. I love me. I love being me. and I am not gonna show the world its ok to just be yourself!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite Miz!!

    XOXO

  32. Also, I love your description of what flying a freak flag is not.

    You’re so wise. Miz.

  34. I love you read your words ma’am. The ones you choose and they way they are put together gets your point across clearly, and this post especially appeals to me. I enjoy your thoughts

  36. I LOVE this post! I let my freak flag fly every time I walk out of my house. It’s who I AM. I don’t care what people think of me in public. If I want to break dance in the middle of a grocery store, you BET I am going to break dance. I used to care too much what people thought about me, like if they through I was ‘weird.’ But, I’ve learned. 🙂

  37. Love, love, love this post! It has taken me a long time to fully embrace my freak flag and I love that you are teaching your daughter to embrace her freak flag. I feel so lucky to come from a long line who embraced independence and strength – those were the best lessons ever!

  40. Whenever I’ve shown the world my authentic self I have gotten mixed reviews 🙂

    Easier to be me than not however.

  41. How generous! In answer to your question, I don’t have a freak flag, so to speak, but I’m pretty sure that I present the weirdo that is me, lol, on a consistent basis. Hah, just ask Janell! 😉

  42. Love the backpacks! I feel like I am just beginning to understand my freak flag, and I’m starting to let it flap around a little. It’s very freeing 🙂

  43. I wish I had time right now to list all the whys for why I love this post!! You know why I don’t have all the time right now! 😉 But let’s just say I LOVE THIS POST! I love that you have settled into you & show us all without hiding a thing AND how you do that for Tornado too – a huge lesson few of us learn early in life & then it is oh so hard to do that later on.

    No, – I am not totally there but I am always working on it.. always trying to put past junk behind me that holds me back & sneaks out to bit me when I least expect it. But at least I try…

    THX for sharing your day with us although I know it is WEDNESDAY!!!!

  45. I think my freak flag is slowly unfurling and I LIKE it! Thanks for the inspiration. Obviously I’m not in the running for the giveaway, but I wanted to comment.

  47. I think it’s so Morgantown to show kids it’s ok to be different and silly and have fun! I absolutely let my freak flag fly high!

  50. Is it sad I got teary at this post?
    When you break it down it sounds simple. When i try to do it it feels really hard.

  51. You hit it for me with your idea of having to do the work in order to be who we were meant to be.

    Fantastic post.

  52. Freak flag does not have to mean outrageous or out there, I agree. It’s different things for different people. For me, it has been about SLOWLY, RELUCTANTLY coming out of my shell that used to be the fat layer. If I talk about certain, umm, ASSETS along the way, so be it. 🙂

  53. For me, flying my freak flag often DOES have to do with rebellion.

    rebellion against the media expectations of beauty…

    rebellion against a culture that says I should be home taking up knitting…

    rebellion against my lupus and the doctors who continuously tell me I can’t…

    rebellion against my own fears and expectations…

    rebellion against the voices in my head echoing out from the past: my fathers voice, my mother’s voice, my grandmother’s voice, telling me that’s not what girls do…

    BEING AUTHENTICALLY YOURSELF seems to generally involve some sort of rebellion… or it wouldn’t be so darn hard to achieve at times, and it’d be something so taken for granted that we wouldn’t need to talk about it.

    and I LONG for that day that everyone is accepted for who they truly are.

  54. Happy birthday, Miz! What a nice giveaway. I love your pack packs! Lately I’ve been flying my flag in the way I dress–no more worrying about what everyone else might think and more focus on wearing what makes me happy and comfortable. My commute (by bus and foot) to work in this ridiculous heat today? A bright orange dress, sneakers, backpack, huge bright blue straw sun hat. Turns out I love dresses and hats! Who knew?

  55. omg! now I freaking have earworms!!
    I love how authentic and original and unique you are, Miz. So wonderful that you’re teaching your daughter to live the same way. xo

  57. LOVE THIS!! Gotta be YOU, gotta do what *moves* you!! Love the important lessons for your beautiful girl, and trying to do the same with my two little monkeys! Thanks for an always inspiring thought for the day! Wave those flags everyone!!

  58. I wish I was bold and awesome enough to wave my freak flag!! Maybe that will be one thing I’ll try to work on…..being more true to myself and not worrying about what other people think and just be ME!

  60. Love this! Really great description and things to think about. “Living authentically” — I’ve always liked expressions like this. I’ll be thinking about my own freak flag and how to rock it 🙂

  64. Who’d have thought a post on Freak Flags could be so inspirational? Love this post almost as much as the picture of you and the Tornado in matching dino back pax.

  66. I like to think that finally, at 32, I have found and adore my freak flag. It’s a part of me. I have an “oh, well! Not my problem” attitude when it comes to how people see and feel about me. Not because I try to be rude, I actually try to be polite and accommodating as much as possible. But I have also come to realize that not everyone is going to like me and I don’t care. I have my true friends and family that love me and who I am and I love them and I am a complete person with or without anyone’s approval.
    I have tattoos, I roll on the quads with my fellow Roller Derby Girls, I broke my first bone and found my first gray hair in the last 47 days. 32 is great and I am proudly and smiley-ly waving my freak flag. Whether one sees it or not doesn’t make no difference to me. I love me now. And I love that I love me, finally!
    Oh, and I would LOVERS me some MadPax. Starting my BA Psych Program in August and I would love to carry it for my first day at a real University. I will also be keeping an eye out for new sneakers that make me jump high and run fast for my first day back at school. 🙂

  67. Honestly, I don’t think I could hide my freak flag if I tried. It’s too deeply engrained in me. And I like it that way! Freaks forever!

  69. My freak flag was at half mast for many years but the older I get, the freakier I feel like being, so now I fly it proudly. It seems to serve me really well when playing with my grandson 🙂

  70. I’m a work in progress. I’m not quite sure who I am yet, but everyday I get closer to fully unfurling my freak flag.

  71. Oh man – I love this “Freak Flag” concept, Miz! I’ve mentioned that I want to do my own Freak Flag-inspired blog post; I definitely still need to do one! Like others, I’d say I’m a work in progress, but more and more I get comfortable with who I am and letting my personal freak flag fly! It’s less the outward freakiness (dreads, short, squinty eyes, bunion-ed feet) and more the inside (quirky, trusting, caring, unable to understand sarcasm and NO wit but genuine) that I’m learning to unfurl! Thanks for that reminder. LOVE the backpacks too – those would go with my dreads for SURE. 😉 Thanks for including us Canucks in the giveaway! 😀

  72. Love this! In learning who we are and what makes us tick, we can learn how to embrace our freakiness and use it to our benefit.

    (No backpack entry for me; I’m trying to save my luck for the lottery. No offense. :))

  74. It took me a while to learn the reason I was exhausted all the time was from pretending to be someone I was not.
    You may not like me, but I am always Sarah.

  75. LOVE this!!!! I fly my freak flag with pride. BUT…it may look very different in the future….I’m not sure the flag I fly today will be the same flag as I go through life.

  76. “Feeling good about and at peace with who you are. It’s being Unapologetically Yourself.”

    THAT right there. BOOM. That’s something I’ve FINALLY learned and while I have my moments, I love being who I am, and I’m doing all I can to teach my two girls to be unapologetically themselves. <3

  77. I totally laughed at your Stepford Wife friend…beware the ones that can hide it. 🙂 LOL

    Anyway, all I have to do is think of something embarrassing and I embarrass myself. But I try to always check myself if I judging myself or others too harshly.

  78. Heck, I’ve got a freak flag flagpole for my flag!
    🙂
    I’ve always been the odd oneand I wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂

  79. As I age I become more me. And proudly so. I often tell folks I don’t know that I really don’t have two heads. They don’t have to stare…. Ya I know but it’s fun.

  80. I am working on the first point, being “unapologetically myself” – worrying less about what others think of me. Also, I’ve found myself to be forgiving and nonjudgmental of others.

  81. I’m totally waving my freak flag – mom of two teenagers who I happen to believe can do anything they want to (unlike others who just say that), I work at a call centre, zumba, run barefoot on the sidewalk in the city, I listen to Korn and other SERIOUS heavy metal, I write supernatural novels, I want a tatoo (but not for the statement – for myself, to document my biggest personal achievements in life to date), I can so be friends with my kids, I posted a “before and after” picture of myself in a bikini… on facebook! I have absolutely no idea how to deal with money, but I keep trying, and I want to move back to the carribean. Nothing normal here at all and I’m happy to let eveyone know it.

  82. I teach middle school/junior high which is when kids are really beginning to define themselves. Having a bag like this would show them it’s absolutely a-okay to be who you are, whoever you want to be. =) Happy birthday!

  83. Relaxing to find my real self… They sounds exciting and scary. Is it possible ones does not know their true self about half way through life? Perhaps, but I hope the truth is I just don’t yet know my true potential more so than I don’t know my true self. Imagine if I relaxed to learn I was really a vampire that only preyed on jellyfish. I mean I like jelly, but that’s gross.

  84. I like to let my freak flag fly by peeing myself on the treadmill. That’s how I say to the world, “I’m not gonna stop running even if my mom bladder can’t take it, and I don’t care who knows about it.”

  85. Jac LOVES her pack! It goes on every field trip and she’s always the most popular among the students AND teachers & parents.

    And incredibly happy birthday week to you!

  86. Im not in the US, just wanted to say I love the post! And I love that your daughter is already learning this concept! So wonderful! 🙂

  87. I’ve never really thought about if I let my freak flag fly – but the way you described it – I always have.

    I was a band geek – and never was apologetic about it. I’ve always been comfortable with who I am and with what I do.

    I’m a Conservative Republican who loves theatre, music, and have degrees in education and library science. I don’t make sense to most people because they try to put me into a box that I just don’t fit into.

    So yes – my flag is flying proudly.

  88. For me, flying my freak flag is also a protection, a way of managing people’s expectations of me. I feel like if I state right from the get-go that I’m not perfect, not trying to be perfect and don’t expect anyone else to be perfect then perhaps people will give me a break when I’m… not perfect. I love your story of the Stepford Wife Who Wasn’t – I’ve had similar experiences and nothing makes me happier than being pleasantly surprised by a freak;) Happy Birthday to one of my all-time favorite freaks – love you!!!

  89. I love the story about the Stepford-wife that was not. I think I’m like that. Most people think I’m going to be one thing and then they get to know me.

  90. My freak flag has been unfurled!!

    I agree that letting your freak flag fly has little to do with how you look. It really is about going full-force in the direction of what you love, your dreams, whatever. Not being afraid of what others think. As a mom, this can be hard to remember sometimes but it is very, very important to allow kids to fly those freak flags. I admit to worrying that my kids won’t fit in and will get bullied or something for being different. So I try to remind myself that they are developing strength and confidence in who they TRULY are and that will help protect them.

  93. I have tried on several occasions to be someone else. I can’t do it. I am me no matter what I do. At least now I am 70lbs lighter, and am building muscle and losing fat. There is both less and more of me. Happy birthday week

  94. I’m still too tightly wound to be able to let the flag of the real me fly most of the time, so it’s only around friends that I get the confidence to relax and just be.

    (No contest entry for me – I won your awesome workout top contest last year!)

  95. I don’t need a backpack, I just wanted to say that I love the concept of letting your freak flag fly! In some ways my life is very traditional. In some ways it’s not. Anyone who can’t deal with that isn’t a friend I want to have anyway! 🙂

  96. I am who I am every single day. If you don’t like it—don’t hang around me 🙂

  97. I let my freak flag fly proudly as I show the world my health nut self. I make no apologies for embracing healthy choices, preferring to spend my date night with the hubs at the gym hoisting iron, and thinking my foam roller is a must have!

  98. Great post and the Tornado is just so cute! I’m in the getting to know me phase right now. Losing weight has given me my confidence back, but I’ve been so buried under layers of fat for years that I don’t know for sure what my freak flag is – but I’m working on it!

    Happy, happy Birthday, Carla!

    (no entry for the pack, thanks)

  99. Ive ALWAYS always danced to my own beat…to the frustration of other including family.

    “WHY does your son {from ages 1-7} have hair down to his bum” answer; cos i want it too….didnt sit well with my hubby’s family. Son in question requested his hair to be cut when he was 7. “WHY do your socks not match?” cos they come out of the dresser that way” yea, doesnt fly either ;p

    Stay true to yourself & the rest of the world will wear down, not care or give up! LOL

    Socks

  100. I would love to learn to let my freak flag fly. I’m still working on it, but someone told me today that they’re not sure what I’ll try next, so I think I might be on my way.

  101. Super duper ally opper birthday to the most awesomely awesome inspiration (so much so that her brand is permanently branded on me) MizFit I would ever long to meet. 1 day, I swear it!

  102. Love the bubbles! Want one in Orange!! 😀

    Freak flags…. Mine is cycling. I ride almost everywhere in town. And I try to yalk everyone I meet into biking….even just a little bit! People judge themselves way too hard if they haven’t ridden in years…I try to encourage the joy and fun that we felt as kids, as the approach to riding!

    Happy day@cha Miz.

  104. I just love you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And… I always say I have a freak flag. It feels so good to fly it doesn’t it? And and those backpacks…… those are just darn awesome Miz.

  106. Love the backpack. As I have entered into my thirties I am slowly learning how to unfold and fly my own flag….great post!!!!

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