Love U Magazine BnW Issue, Winter 2017 | Page 81

I mourn, but not for myself. I mourn for those who lose the ability to think and create on their own. When one denies themselves authenticity, they suffocate their spirit and they deny the world of the things that only they can uniquely provide. Imagine if Michelangelo decided to carve out a bunch of pillars and columns because that’s what was ‘hot’ at the time -- the Statue of David wouldn’t exist. Or if Martin Luther King Jr. opted to plagiarize an existing speech in lieu of delivering his famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. People struggle with being their authentic selves every day. Some of them are struggling due to circumstance, while others are willingly and purposely turning themselves into clones of whatever’s trending. Some are clones for so long that only traces of their true identity remain. This isn’t flattery. It’s the death of originality. It’s sad. Instead, if one builds their own brand and speaks in their own voice, they will reach the people who authentically speak their language. That’s when the magic happens.