Have you ever stopped yourself from saying something because you thought people might find it strange? Or perhaps you’ve liked something that your friends didn’t understand and quietly decided to keep it to yourself. Most people have had moments like these. Sometimes, we spend so much time worrying about how we’re coming across that we forget there’s nothing particularly wrong with being a little different.Meryl Streep once spoke about this while answering questions from students at a university. The actress had faced her fair share of criticism when she was younger, including comments about her appearance. But rather than treating those differences as things she needed to hide, she had a rather interesting piece of advice for the students listening to her.Today’s quote of the day by Meryl Streep reads: “Everyone thinks there’s a perfect way to be … but your difference, your thing that is unique to you, is the most valuable thing you have. The weird thing about you is the thing that makes people remember you. … Whatever is weird about you maybe is your strength.”Streep shared these thoughts during her April 1, 2014 appearance at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The conversation was later covered in the Summer 2014 issue of UMass Lowell Magazine in an article titled ‘Straight Streep’, written by Jill Gambon. A student had asked her how she dealt with failure and rejection. Streep spoke about being criticised for her nose and surname early in her career before explaining why she believed people should hold on to the things that make them different.
What does the quote by Meryl Streep mean?
Think about the things you might hesitate to tell someone when you first meet them. Maybe your music taste is a little unusual, you have an interest nobody around you shares or you’re just someone who doesn’t always know what to say in a group. These things might seem small, but they can make you feel a little out of place sometimes.Meryl Streep’s advice is to stop worrying so much about these differences. You might think a particular quality makes you stand out for the wrong reasons, but someone else could actually find it interesting. There’s no real reason to change your personality just because it doesn’t match the people around you.She also knows what being judged feels like. When she was starting as an actress, people made comments about her appearance, including her nose. It’s something she brought up while speaking to the students, which makes her advice feel much more personal.
How is the quote by Meryl Streep relevant today?
Keeping up with trends can get tiring, especially when they seem to change every other week. There’s always a new style people are trying, a particular way of presenting yourself online or some new idea of what looks good. Before you know it, you might find yourself questioning things you were perfectly happy with a few months ago.It happens in smaller ways, too. You might dress differently around certain friends, avoid talking about something you’re interested in or hold back a part of your personality because you’re worried about how it’ll be received. Most people probably have a few examples of doing this.Meryl Streep’s words are a good reminder to think twice before changing things about yourself just to fit in. You won’t click with everyone, and some people might not understand your choices. That’s part of life. There’s no point in making yourself less interesting just to be more likeable to everyone else.
Early life of Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep was born on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey, United States. She attended Vassar College and later joined the Yale School of Drama, where she completed her Master of Fine Arts degree.Her interest in acting developed early, and she started performing in theatre before making her way into films. Her time at Yale also gave her formal acting training, which helped prepare her for the roles she would take on later in her career.
How did Meryl Streep rise to fame?
Meryl Streep’s film career began with ‘Julia’ (1977), followed by ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978), which brought her wider recognition. Her role in ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ (1979) earned her first Academy Award. She won another just a few years later for ‘Sophie’s Choice’ (1982).Over the years, she’s played some very different characters. For many viewers, she’ll always be Miranda Priestly from ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006). Others might remember her as Julia Child in ‘Julie & Julia’ (2009) or Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Iron Lady’ (2011), a performance that earned her third Academy Award.Streep has spent decades moving between drama, comedy and biographical films. Even after all these years, she continues to take on roles that are quite different from one another. Her filmography is a good place to start if you want to see just how much range she has as an actress.
