The world spends billions of dollars on the fashion and entertainment industry, an industry that preys on the insecurities of individuals and especially creates an inadequacy in the individual. Inadequacy and insecurity are the foundation on which the industry is built because it creates a false impression that the famous celebrities covered in the tabloids are the norm and standard. It leaves the youth aspiring to ridiculous standards that are unreal, because a majority of what they see is created impressions.

The very first encounter an inquisitive mind meets, is one’s parents. The process of working through one’s personality and discovering intellect, consciousness and diversity is done at home. When a child is born, the natural order of life is that they develop a sense of the world, followed by a sense of self. In the event that the process is not handled with care, it can do one of two things, cripple the child’s ability to grow into their full potential or create a safe place to discover themselves fully. The process of self-discovery is important because it molds the eyes through which an individual sees themselves.

Values and morals are relative to an individual. Every time a choice is made repeatedly it set the precedent and inevitably becomes the standard. The difference between values and morals is simply from where they stem from, with the former being a personal standard and the latter being a societal standard. Societal standards are generally easy to abide by because they are defined by social etiquette, whereas where we generally falter is personal standards.

I have walked a journey that has been inspired from the onset by a man I call my father. He has been able to inspire me in his journey, he not only spoke words of wisdom into my life, but he too was the set example of what it looks like to walk in those words of wisdom. I have been fortunate enough to be inspired and planted into by people who deemed my journey worth planting into. I am the classic definition of – it takes a village to raise a child. I have had people mentor me from all walks of life, I have had people plant wisdom into me, not because they wanted anything in return, but simply because they saw a burning desire in my heart to want to do better and do better.

After carefully laying out my plans and vision for life, I sealed the book that would guide my life. I had it all figured out, I knew at what age I expected to finish varsity, I knew where I intended to complete my post graduate degree and I knew at what age I wanted to get married and with how many kids. I had it all figured out, I knew what I wanted and when I wanted it. I knew how I was going to get it and when it was intended to happen. The only problem is I was twelve. Twelve years too young to comprehend life, twelve years too young to foresee the bumps and curves life throws at you, and twelve years too young to possess the wisdom needed to be able to make such life altering decisions, never mind the ability to understand the complexity of life.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I have this insane desire to work hard because I was taught as soon as I could walk and talk, that there is one route to success, and it is hard work. Regardless of what success looks like to you, it would have to have you apply some kind of work ethic. Even if your special talent is being lazy, it takes work to be lazy. You will have to ignore the ever present nagging feeling in the back of your mind reminding you that you have pending work that you need to do and are not getting to. You may not believe this, and many people will never tell you this, but it takes real work to be lazy. Well, maybe not lazy, but being lazy and at peace. Now that, that takes work.

Yes, this is an article to help you start, when everything in you is screaming at you, but the procrastinator in you is winning. The truth is, being a creative is a hella lot of work. I mean it in the most serene sense, it means that your mind constantly has so many tabs open you cannot shut it off. The worst part is that you cannot grasp the thoughts long enough to be able to put it into a coherent thought, without the thought being overtaken by at least 6 other thoughts. Trying to get the thoughts into a coherent pattern to begin to put into “brain folders” is such a task on it’s own that by the time you are done thinking and sorting, you are too tired to execute.