Have you ever heard this saying before and caught yourself wondering what it meant? Maybe someone told you this as a way to lift your spirits? Or maybe you saw it printed on a T-shirt? Either way, it resonated with you and you wanted to learn more. I felt the same way! And I’ll happily share with you what I’ve found out about this saying.

Throughout my search, I’ve discovered that there can be multiple meanings behind it. Mainly though, it is used as an empowering phrase. It comforts those who feel out of place and resonates with people that have a rebellious spirit and don’t want to follow the masses. 

Empower

Have you ever felt like an outsider in a group? See, that’s exactly what it means to be “ A Unicorn in field of horses.” Thus I found in my research that the phrase can be used as a form of empowerment. Empowered Connections described it as a way to tell someone that it’s okay to feel alone in a room full of people. You just haven’t found the right group of friends yet. If that resonates with you, then you’re probably still looking. Don’t give up, they’re out there somewhere!

But the phrase isn`t just about empowering the outliers. It can also apply to you if you have a rebellious spirit, or want to stand out from the crowd. You don’t like to blend in with the masses? You want to rebel against the herd mentality, and be your own person? You aren’t afraid to share your opinions, even if they happen to be controversial? You are the Unicorn in a field of horses!

Along the line of rebellion, the phrase can be empowering to people looking for others with similar thoughts and ideas. You may be labeled “weird” or “odd”, but you don’t care. You like it. In fact, you stand up for others who suffer from the same ail. The “weird” and the “odd” are your friends, and if you meet someone new fitting that description, you find yourselves easily compatible. It’s much more fun and fulfilling to be with the “unicorns” than with any of the horses in the field.

Battling Insecurities

This phrase doesn’t only empower others, it can also comfort the insecure among us. Everyone feels insecure about something, but this phrase encourages us to embrace what makes us different. Don’t feel like having insecurities makes you have less worth than other people. A Unicorn may begin to doubt themselves because they don’t look or act like the horses around them. But that doesn’t mean the Unicorn is any lesser than the horses. In fact, the horses probably admire the Unicorn for being so different!

Perhaps your insecurities aren’t so much about yourself, though. We often also feel like we don’t know our purpose in life. Maybe you feel lost? You feel like you don’t know where you belong? Or maybe you’re confused as to what to do with your life? You don’t feel challenged or rewarded by what you are doing now – whether this is because of a job, a relationship, or your hobbies. You may feel like you were meant for more, and deserve more. This phrase can be a means to push you out of your comfort zone and to get you to follow your dreams, rather than just getting by in life.

Okay, so you aren’t insecure about yourself or your purpose in life? Maybe you are insecure with how you fit in with others. You could love yourself and what you’re doing, but maybe feel like you lack in the social department. It’s a struggle to connect with people around you. You try, but feel like your attempts fall flat or go unnoticed. Just remember, you are a Unicorn while the other people around you are the horses. You don’t fit in as easily because you weren’t meant to, you were made special and unique. Your traits are often admired by the horses, rather than shunned. So, talk about what your interests are, instead of trying to conform to the masses. Be the Unicorn you deserve to be!

 Out of the Norm

The phrase isn’t just limited to the points above, of course. It can also be a way to describe someone who does something out of the norm. You do what you want because you want to? You don’t care if or how other people do it? Adventures in Acceptance writer gives an example of running being her “out of the norm” behavior. She is the only one of her friends that likes to run for the fun of it, rather than for weight loss, and her friends tell her that she is the “unicorn in the field of horses.” Your preferences could also make you a Unicorn.

Maybe you are out of the norm because of your style choices rather than your behavior? You color your hair with wild colors and wear it in unique styles. You are the person who wears flashy clothes, or unique pieces that only you could wear. You find the attention-grabbing accessories and wear them with pride. Just like a Unicorn flashes its horn. You use these styles and eye-catching choices as a way to express yourself. You want to be noticed, and stand out from the “horses” around you. Norm? What norm?

To conclude, these are just some of the meanings I found about the phrase. I didn’t have much luck finding the origin of the phrase. But with all the merchandise and wide use of it, it’s obvious that it resonates with people. It definitely does with me. If I had the choice between horse and unicorn, I would choose to be a unicorn every time.  What would you choose?