This I Believe: Live As You Are

I remember being in elementary school outside during recess. All of the children would run around frantically trying to find the clique that they best fit in to or wanted to join. Elementary school was such an interesting time period because it shaped most of our thoughts of who we wanted to be later in our lives. Often, my teachers would ask us what we wanted to be in life and often times we responded with the most popular of answers. Everyone wanted to be a firefighter, policeman, doctor, or athlete -little did we know that there was so much more available for us to strive towards. For most of my life, the media and other people dictated to me what I should be. Even as a child I was subject to the influence of others. From the playground to graduation, people have always told me what I should be. Things like money, fame, and power were used as bait to get me to change who I was. From school to the workplace, these three things have changed who people were, into what they were told to be. Many people I know fake to be someone who they are not in order to achieve the status quo. It was not until I matured enough to realize that I live my life for me that I changed my way of thinking. I learned that I did   not want a lot of fame, money, and power even though those things are great. I would rather be an inspiring artist in college trying to make a name for myself. I refuse to let anyone change who I am. In summary, exist as you are and things will change for the better themselves.