Personal Narrative: A Paradigm Shift

A paradigm shift can be the defining factor of one's life. When I started school as an overly-nervous six-year-old my mother said to me, "all I want from you is to do the best with what you have been given." As a six-year-old I never invested much thought into the statement, however, when it was repeated to me at the start of high school it had a far more lasting impact. Those words led me on an adventure to seize every opportunity that presented itself. My life very quickly became like an inner city mall during Christmas, congested and lively. I was simply another keen youth with an insatiable desire to succeed in everything. I initially achieved in most of what I set out to do: second in the grade for academics, A team athlete and cultural performer. However, even with all this early high school success the true 'me' was
In my life's busy novel personal achievements became the author and I just became the ink; doing what I thought was my purpose but instead was only what I was instructed to do.

Up until the tenth grade my life had been lived for other people. Everything I achieved was for the validation of my mother and remembrance of my brother. In a time when most of my friends were concerned with aesthetics and weekends I was all about achievements and weekdays. I had no idea who I was and I subsequently began exploring my identity. Two years passed and I attended the Global Young Leaders Conference in the USA. I had always envisioned of some day inhaling the same air as 'first world' citizens and leaders in hopes that it would somehow make me a better version of myself. However, during this unparalleled journey I came to the realization that