It's taken me a very long time to realise the bigger picture. In fact it's taken me near enough all my life (with a little help) to accept that it's okay to not look like a supermodel. It's okay if you don't look or live like those on Instagram that who seemingly lead these perfect lives and earn a crazy salary. It's also perfectly okay to have a number of friends which you can count on one hand rather than thousands of followers on social media who you will never meet, never really speak to and who are likely to judge your life from what you choose to post online day to day. Bearing in mind that what we post on social media is in fact often a carefully thought out choice. We waste our time taking 20 selfies just to choose the one we think looks the best and will hopefully get the most likes. We are all guilty of that don't get me wrong, but life doesn't work that way. We only get one life which offline can't be edited with a Valencia filter and made to look better. A lot of people I know claim they will delete a photograph they have posted on social media if it doesn't get enough likes. Why? A friendly reminder that social media should not be a competition. Someone you care about finds you all kinds of beautiful and that should be all that matters.
For the record, I'm not slating these men and women at all, in fact hats off to them as I have no doubt they work hard for their success. Put simply, I just wish for young people who are growing up so vulnerable to believing that their looks and bodies are the only way to success, to understand the bigger picture. Explore far beyond your outer shell. Your mind is the greatest and most powerful asset you could ever ever ever be blessed with.
In my opinion, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are far from "goals". That old couple who you have no idea of their names or what they did yesterday, that have no idea what Facebook is, but you can tell they are incredibly happy holding hands whilst taking a walk or shopping for their groceries in their own private world are goals. Similarly, I wish we would look to women like Malala Yousafzai as an inspiration and role model, for she is known not for a most liked selfie of the year or staged publicity stunt, but her bravery, beautiful and determined mind and the impact she has made on the world of women's rights and education. There's nothing wrong with pursuing a career in social media if that's your calling as technology seems to be leading the future, but we desperately need more young people to be inspired to teach, to become a doctor or nurse, be the leading lady in the West End, be the next Bill Gates, find the cure for cancer or Alzheimer's, fight for their country, win the nobel prize, go to space, be a fair politician - make a difference.
I myself am still studying for a Masters degree and trying to find my place in the world. I not only work trying to help shape the minds of young children that are the future, but am also fortunate enough to work with some incredible individuals who if you make them laugh, sneak them an extra biscuit from the cupboard or remember their rubber duck at bath time they will be your friend for life. I've never been in a workplace before where as soon as I walk through the door I am greeted by so many beaming, beautifully imperfect faces. These residents with learning disabilities (or "different abilities" as I much prefer) have taught and inspired me more than anybody of so called "normal" abilities I have ever met. They aren't afraid to talk to somebody who is sitting on their own at a disco or dance like nobody is watching in the middle of town when we go for lunch if they hear even the slightest sound of music. They don't care what other people think and I like to think that because of this, their happiness is infectious. For all the people who have turned their nose up when I've taken a man with Down's Syndrome out to do his Christmas shopping and he's tried to ask how you are, or tell you he enjoyed the cake your cafe made, or when another resident compliments your dress in the pub and you say nothing, remember that they would never ignore you purposely and that they are living and probably enjoying life a lot more than your miserable and silver-spoon self.
So by all means dress up, do your hair all fancy, learn to contour, enjoy the perks of social media and stay connected with those you love and care about but also start living offline and get inspired. Stop comparing yourself to others and accept you are on different paths. In the grand scheme of things, remember that beauty fades but wisdom stays. It's absolutely okay to have no idea what you want to do. Explore while you're young and keep exploring when you're old. But whatever you choose to do, give it everything.
"In a gentle way, you can shake the world." - Mahatma Ghandi.
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