Facing Challenges

This year I vowed that I'm going to try my best to try something new every now and again, live a little and "expand my horizons". Having spent the past 20 years of my life living the average life with little to no excitement, climbing Kilimanjaro was a huge stepping stone (quite literally too) in my life. One reason why I took up this challenge (besides charity), is to open my eyes to my own capabilities. The day that idea was conceived was the beginning of a chain of events that have led me to where I am today. By far, I'm not yet where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be this time last year - confused about what I really want in life, fresh out of high school and living on my own for the first time with a full-time job that required me to become a responsible adult.

I have a passion for art, writing, singing and fashion, more so art and writing than fashion but nonetheless, these are my passions. In this world full of talented people working hard trying to realise their dreams, sometimes you feel too small to begin anything. You feel as if if you have no connections in the big world, you can't make it. Which is true in some cases. So you end up sitting on your talents because it's too challenging to pursue your dreams. Facing challenges can help to build you or break you, but I think it comes down to you and how much you want it to work. Earlier today I was reading an article about the interview between Oprah and Tyler Perry. Tyler opens up to Oprah about his past, his challenges, having to be rejected and disappointed 8 years straight while trying to produce his first play after investing all his savings into it, being abused and using his anger and past as a motivation to do better for himself. For 8 years he was a nobody, but what appealed to me the most about that interview is when he said that dreams don't die; people just give up. Sometimes it is a choice you make to remain "a nobody" or to become somebody. Don't give up.

That being said, I've promised myself that I'm going to work hard to realise my dreams, finish writing my first novel, finish designing my first piece and finish writing (and maybe even producing) my first song. Because each challenge has to start somewhere. Once one thing has passed, it will be challenging to carry on, but at least it's one giant step towards my dreams. If I sit there all day watching TV or reading a novel or listening to music, dreaming of the day when my own material will be published, that dream would just rot and never come to fruition. I'd lose that talent sooner or later, while watching others live to see their dreams realised. I don't want that, so that's my challenge for the month. What's yours?

Enjoy the rest of your day x