Francisca Da-Souza: The battle of Gettysburg (30 Days, 30 Voices)

No matter how many times you are told how beautiful you are, you are never truly going to appreciate it until you believe it.

Right now you’re probably thinking, “what is this, some sort of history lesson?” “Am I on the wrong site?” No. The emancipation of the mind from the shackles that is self-doubt, is no joke my friend. You are right where you need to be.

“You are so beautiful when you’re mad”, he said. And with the faintest of smiles, she replied, “You’re sweet, but I don’t appreciate limitations being placed on my beauty”. What utter arrogance but was she? Was she truly arrogant? Or did he just fail to see the confidence that beamed ever so bright in her eyes. This lady knew exactly who she was, and exactly what she was capable of.

Many a time we question our opinions before they are aired. We smother our ideas long before we even put pen to paper. Fighting our inner spirits, day in day out, for the one voice that is to be heard. It is the battle between the mind and the heart. The battle between the “could be” and the “should be”. The battle of Gettysburg, going down all in your head.

Think of the designer who is awoken in the dead of night by the linger of a midi sequin halter dress, but doesn’t see it through to the debut of her S/S13 collection because she felt she was too bad an artist to make a sketch. Or is it the accountant who knows that if he can convince the firm to go green, they would substantially cut down on auxiliary costs incurred, but says to himself, “talk am first, nah sack letter get you, are you a learner?”. It is exactly this sort of attitude that confines us to an eternity of average.

Sometimes, it is others we rely on to give us that nudge, that push in the right direction. And while encouragement from the outside can be necessary, that which comes from within is even more pertinent to our survival in the race that is life. No matter how many times you are told how beautiful you are, you are never truly going to appreciate it until you believe it.

P.S beware of the thin line between a sense of self-worth and self-deceit, before you end up on the wrong side. Just saying.

There will always be a reason not to let yourself go, but if you look deeper, you’ll most probably find two others that beg to differ. In the end, where all else fails, the only person standing between you and your dreams, is you and the battle of Gettysburg. Release your inhibitions. Dare to soar. “I’m possible”, never “impossible”.

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Francisca De-Souza is the creative director of SOUZA.

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30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians to share their stories and experiences with other young Nigerians, within our borders and beyond, to inspire and motivate them.

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

 

One comment

  1. I'm amazed! This is really good! Five stars my nigga!!!!!

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