Don’t Abandon Your Potential
Don't run away from your greatness before you get a chance to discover it. [#StyleDiaries]
I've been running Purposely You for the past six years on various platforms, and I finally feel like Purposely You has a home on this platform. You may have noticed that I added a few things around here, like a community tab, a podcast, and a support button (located on the homepage). My goal is to pour more time and expand the content here, and I will be able to do that with your help. You can support Purposely You with a contribution of any amount to help keep things flowing. Your support means everything to me, and I am truly grateful to all of you! Let's keep growing together!
It's funny how I “stumbled” into discovering my potential. I found my gifts in painting, acting, and writing by a divine accident. Typically, people have an idea or know what they want to do before they pursue it because interest is shown in whatever it might be when they are a child. However, that wasn't my narrative.
Story Time
Leading into my junior year of high school, it was a requirement that all students take two elective classes (a course that's not part of your core curriculum). I procrastinated in solidifying my schedule and had to choose a class to add to my schedule quickly. I was already in the orchestra (which counted as an elective). Due to me waiting until the last minute, the only class left was an art design class. I had no choice but to take it, and I'm glad everything worked out the way it did because I now know that I have a gift for art.
One summer day, when I had nothing to do and was bored out of my mind, my mom asked me if I wanted to go with her and my brother to my brother's audition. I happily got myself together and went with them. I thought this would be a fun experience until we arrived and saw what looked like a hundred people there to audition. My mom signed him in, and we waited in line. We were there for hours. Finally, it was his turn. My brother had long hair (down his back) back then, and production thought he was a girl. The role that we stood hours in line for was for a teenage girl. My mom quickly responds, "Oh, but I have a daughter." I looked at my mom so fast and said, "Absolutely not. I'm a painter. I'm going to be a famous painter." My mom said, "Just try. You never know." Casting gave me a few moments with the audition sides to learn the lines (my mom coached me through it). When I went back to do the audition, they were pleased, and I booked the role. My mom was right; I would have never known if I didn't try.
During my college years (all of two), I felt the need to create something that allowed me to express myself through writing. At that time, blogging was making a major wave on the internet. I started to research it and decided that I would give it a try. I've always been interested in fashion and, at one point, wanted to be a fashion designer. My mom bought me a sewing machine and everything, but that was short-lived. Creating a blog would provide me with a platform to talk about fashion in a very creative way. I started my blog and called it 'Parts of Me.' Not too long after that, I felt the need to be more intentional about the platform I was building, and that's when I came up with 'Purposely You.' I'm so grateful to have discovered the art form of writing.
End of Story
Uncovering our potential is the easy part. However, the real challenge lies in not giving up on that potential when things get tough. It's not always easy to stay the course when the results are not immediate. There have been many times when I've been tempted to run away and abandon my potential, and one time when I did. When we're hit with that overwhelming feeling of defeat, it makes us want to run. But, no matter how many times I tried and did abandon my potential, I would always come back to it. There's a magnet inside all of us that keeps our potential connected to us. Either we listen to it, or we ignore it. The best thing to do is for us to lean into our potential and see our greatness through.
Greatness takes time. It requires effort, patience, and persistence. We must give ourselves a chance to become great and be gentle with ourselves along the journey. Everyone has their process, which can't be compared to anyone else. In those tough moments, we must hold tight to our aspirations and keep pushing forward. Here's a reminder to help: Trust that the fruits of your labor will eventually come to fruition with commitment and determination — Your potential will lead you to your purpose. Stay strong, keep pushing forward, and always be purposely you.
📸: Three Lens Studios
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