Have you ever looked at your parents or siblings and thought “How are these people even related to me?” It makes you wonder if you’re the black sheep of the family. They seem so different that you keep checking your birth certificate because you’re convinced they adopted you.
They look like you, but they couldn’t be further away from what you’re like. You can’t agree with them on anything, from politics, to religion, to TV shows, and constantly find yourself in petty arguments. And despite your attempts, they just don’t seem to “get you.”
It’s as if you were abducted by this family. Now forced to spend countless holidays with them leaning over the dinner table to complain about your job, or scold you for that new piercing you went and got. All while you secretly plan how to crack open the bathroom window and escape, so that you don’t have to hear another word.
How to know if you’re the black sheep of the family
Chances are you’ve known you’re a bit of a black sheep for a while. You just got used to it. The rebel figure in the household, and you know you’ll never be like your family. But you’re at peace with it.
If you’re still not sure whether or not you are actually the black sheep of the family, here are 22 signs that you’re the odd one out of your relatives.
#1 You never fit in. No matter how you acted or behaved, you never truly felt like you fit in with the rest of your family. There’s always been a difference in the way you are, and the way they are. It’s as if they’re total aliens to you, and you can’t seem to relate to them.
#2 You don’t live up to expectations. You seem to have a habit of going against the grain when it comes to expectations. When your mum tried to dress you as a little girl, you refused to wear the frilly dresses. Or when you were a little boy you hated sports. You can’t tell if they’re disappointed in you for that, but you also don’t really care.
#3 You have your own look. You don’t look much like the rest of your family at all. Showing up to a family gathering with an edgy new haircut, crazy makeup, or an obscure fashion style has always been your bag.
You change it up and push the boundaries of how it is acceptable to look. You hate the idea of blending in with your peers or family members.
#4 School was the worst. You never wanted to be a cheerleader, you didn’t like chemistry, and you didn’t get on with many other kids, apart from your close circle of friends. But they hated school just as much as you did. Your grades generally reflected this, much to your family’s dismay.
#5 People are convinced you’re adopted. There are too many times to count, when people see you around your family and were surprised when you said you’re related. You’ve also convinced friends you weren’t kidnapped as a baby by this weird family that seem nothing like you.
#6 You do your own thing. You stick out like a sore thumb from your family, but you’re pretty proud of it. You don’t share the same personality traits, quirks, or mannerisms that they do. It just makes you more unique.
#7 Your family tells you how to live. You’re so used to your family telling you what you should be doing with your life that you learned to block it out. They constantly try to assert some control into your life. Just keep moving forward and do what suits you best.
#8 You were always just going through a weird “stage in your life.” You’ve heard the words “it’s just a phase” or “you’ll get over it” far too many times. And yet here you are, years later, still living in your “phase” and loving it.
#9 Your SO is never good enough. It doesn’t matter who you bring home to your parents. They always find something wrong with your significant other. They disapprove of the way they talk, their job, and their style. But that’s only because they have such high expectations.
#10 You’re full of firsts. You were the first one in your family to get tattoos, move away from home, get a super chic hairstyle, and always the first to speak your mind. Your family thinks you’re wild or impulsive, but you’re actually just a bad-ass trailblazer.