Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything that you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive.
– Leah LaBelle
When we are children we have these huge hopes and dreams for our futures. I remember when I was younger that I wanted to become so many different things when I grew up. If an adult were to ask me what I wanted to be, you would never know beforehand just what my answer would be. I wanted to be a veterinarian, an actor, singer/songwriter, an author, a famous chef, a doctor, a lawyer, and even a detective. As I got older, I had to narrow my list down to a few choices. Most of the possibilities were already taken off the table for me by society, without my consideration, because of the unrealistic expectation that someone needed a family background to be an actor, singer. Or that you really need to know someone in the publishing industry to even be considered to be viewed. This is just one of the many problems that society has caused for children/teens and even adults. Society says what kind of education/career is right or wrong for a person to pursue. But what about the person that is the pursuer, don`t they have a say in what they want for their life/live(s)?
Do we as individuals have a voice in that matter? Yes, we do have a voice. We just have to find it and speak up to be heard. When you speak, society will listen. It doesn’t matter if they agree or disagree with you. It matters that you didn’t stay silent and that you were heard.
Too many people end up giving up on their dreams because of the all the work that would be required to accomplish/reach their dreams. We take the easy way out and find something smaller to achieve because we know that it is more realistic. It`s more realistic because society says that it is. We each have to work hard to achieve whatever goal/dream that we have set for ourselves no matter what others say or think about it. Be strong and courageous and use the negativity as your motivational tool to keep going and to prove others that they were wrong.
Goal: Remember, it`s not their life to make the decision, it`s your life and you can achieve whatever you set your heart to. Use their words of hate and negativity as fuel for the fire of passion. That passion is controlled by your dreams, never let that flame go out. If the flame goes out, you loose yourself and you become a “regular” member of the society that was bringing you down.
Staying Strong: The Warrior Project 