The New Classic

Just the other day a good friend of mine came up to me and talked about how they feel they have changed since high school...and then that got me thinking...why does this happen?! Well here's a quick stream of consciousness!

Growing up we always hear people tell us to "be ourselves" -- to be unique. But at what cost? We live in a time where going against the grain gets you shunned by your peers and denied several simple liberties...so why should we go out of our way to be different, when being 'normal' works out just fine? We should be telling young people the truth: being different is the hardest damn thing you can do in this life, so be ready for a lot of backlash. We should be telling young people that sometimes you will feel alone, that sometimes it will seem like being different is the worst possible option. So I guess we are left with a dilemma...should we all just fall in line? Is normal the way to go?

Here is what I propose: go against the grain with all that you have! Ignite this spark in as many people as you can until you cause a shift in the norm -- catalyze the new classic. Yes, being different can be hard and sometimes it seems pointless...but you must realize that you can be the happiest and most successful individual in this world. Choosing this path can bring adversity into your life, but you will reap a lifetime of benefits. You could be a part of something BIG. You could say that you paved the way for young people to feel safe in their own skin. You could say you lived the life that YOU wanted to live.

The classic timeline of life is this: follow the crowd until you graduate high school and then MAYBE you get the courage to be yourself.

This has to change.

I am an advocate of The New Classic! We should be inspired to be ourselves from day one. From the first day we walk into a school we should feel the urge to speak our minds, to wear what we want, to live truthfully. We shouldn't have to tell young people that being different will be hard, that they will feel alone, or that being themselves can feel pointless. We should be telling young people to be pioneers of something bigger than themselves. We should be telling them to always be working towards the greater. Mediocre is never an option! Be ambitious, feel inspired to be yourself! We shouldn't have to have anti-bullying campaigns. We should have individuality campaigns! It is time to stop focusing on the negative side of this age old problem and start over with something new. We can eliminate this issue, by focusing our efforts toward the solution! The New Classic is what I propose...ignite an Ambitious Daydreamer in every young person and create a movement....

"Normal" is just a word. Individuality is a lifestyle of happiness.


~~~~~~

Okay so this week I have been obsessed with Betty Who! If you haven't heard of her...you should find out! Here is one of her songs! Hope you love it!

Front And Center

Sometimes I forget that I have this amazing space to express myself and interact with others...it honestly makes me feel like there is a weight lifted off of my shoulders after I write something on here, its like, "okay...that happened, I feel what I do, now let's make some moves towards a better life." That's the beauty of expressing myself so freely -- on the internet of all places. Anyway, I feel as if I had to say this to remind myself...and all of you, that it is okay to be open -- it IS okay to feel.

_____

The other night I went to a popular open mic here on campus, R.E.T.R.O....(side note: if you go to UW or live in the area, check it out...I guarantee you will be pleased!) Personally, I genuinely love watching people in a position of vulnerability -- a state of uncertainty. It is in this state where I feel we achieve our greatest desires, where we can overcome our greatest fears. So it excites me to see people, regulars to newcomers, step up on that stage and perform at the expense of about 200 of their peers every month. At this point I bet you are wondering why this is so important/what this has to do with anything...well let me pose some questions for you: Could you step up on a stage and perform in front of a large crowd? Would the possible judgement stop you from stepping up? Are you able to speak your mind, even when all of the focus is on you? What I am really getting at is...are you ambitious? Do you have a desire so strong that it cannot be tamed by the societal constructs placed in your way? Stereotypes, peer pressure, fear of rejection, all of these things stifle our potential as members of society, as human beings. Our life is stage...man, woman, he, she, they, them, we, us. This life is our stage and we are just performing. Our art is projected through our every movement and action -- we are beings of beauty. Together we play in an ethereal symphony. We must listen to our surroundings in order to stay in tune, in pitch, in time. All the attention is on us, we are the stars of our own production! My biggest stage is here writing to all of you. I step up on this stage time after time, trying to project something of beauty by giving my thoughts on life and what it can bring. I have found my role, and now it is time to listen to my surroundings. Finding your role is the most difficult part of this performance of life. You never want to be a supporting act in someone else's production! There is no need to sit in the background and watch others perform. Find your strengths, and exploit them. There is no time to be a bystander! Find your role, find your stage, and give the best damn performance that you can! You owe that to yourself, and to the rest of this world. Don't be afraid to step out -- center stage is where you belong. Nobody else can be the star of your life, that divine role is reserved just for you. Stop letting doubt hold you back from performing at your best, for this symphony can only be a thing of beauty if we all listen to ourselves, our surroundings, and harmonize.

_____


Thanks for reading! I really appreciate everyone who reads these, even though I take forever to post! haha Regardless, I want to start this thing where I tell you guys what I am listening to right now! This music may have something to do with posts, it may not, but regardless it will always be good music...or at least to me! So right now, I have been listening to a lot of Sam Smith...because he is everything. His voice is beautiful. SO here is one of my favorites by him.

Let's Take A Long Walk

I really want to take this time to really share my deepest feelings with all of you right now. Is that okay? Yes? Ooooooh okay let's get started then! haha

For the past five years of my life I have been held back by many things in my personal life. Whether it be my insecurities, my lack of confidence, or my residual feelings for past partners...they all have stopped me from taking advantage of beautiful experiences in my life. I was like a "bag man", dragging all of that baggage down the street, just trying to make it to the next bus stop...missing bus after bus just trying to get to my next destination. I let my relaxation in a shitty cycle screw up my situation, and halt my education on myself and what I deserve in my revelation of life. Better yet, I would call this a renaissance. A renaissance of my mind, body, and soul. Year after year, I waited for that moment with that one person, and I realize now that one situation's ending maybe be the catalyst I needed to see what is really in front of me. So here I am, wanting to take a long walk around the park. I am ready to put another before my self. Ready to dive deep into their oceans and be fully immersed in their every emotion. I want to take a stroll through someone else's mind for a change. I mean, who knows who it will be, when it will happen, how it will go...but honestly, none of that really matters to me. The fact that I am in a better place than where I once was -- praise the Lord! I love myself, AND I know what I want. I know I can have it. I know I deserve it, but I am not reliant on IT! I want that connection, but I don't need this connection to connect my pieces. I am my own finished puzzle beautifully crafted and solved by me...but we can start another if you are up for the challenge -- just you and I. Taking on the world when it says "no." Igniting each others fires, allowing them to burst into a effervescent inferno. Captivating, exciting, unpredictable...capable of the impossible. That is what our love will be like. Flexible, malleable, but never broken. With you I will be living life like it is golden: a life fit for the highest of the high. A life destined for you and I. With you I will feel like I am in tune with myself, simply by hearing everything that is you. Let me hear your symphony.

Gumption

When I think about all of the amazing things and people that have come into my life one things seems to always run constant: it all has been driven by gumption. Gumption is the act of taking initiative; having courage, spunk, guts. Gumption is what brings all happiness into my life. Looking back on my life I realize that without this, I would not be at the University of Washington, I wouldn't have the friends that I have...ultimately, I wouldn't be the person I am today. This is something worth expanding on...how is it that this one word sums up everything that I am and ever will be?

With that in mind...here is a quick video expanding on these thoughts! I hope you enjoy it, and I am sorry for the quality!