Proudly You!

Identity is, without a doubt, one of the trickiest elements to acquire as an individual. And even more so, to maintain it. The most toilsome part of maintaining it comes in that true identity is only built on something firm.

Something that does not and cannot waver, something that ultimately makes you you.

Many people have misinterpreted where true identity comes from. Contrary to popular belief, it is not found in the branded clothes you wear, the types of parties you attend, the amount of friends you have or the grades you achieve.

Many people are trapped in a utopian world where they can buy identity with materialistic wealth. True identity is not even found in what society tells you to be or the number of boys/girls who are interested in you. Your existence is not about how desirable anyone finds you. All the aforementioned are fleeting, hence, identity found in those elements is short-lived.

For instance, if you entrench confidence within your personality and establish your character based on that very confidence, you will approach life as a challenge that can be overcome as opposed to an obstacle that halts you from living up to all the potential that is encapsulated within you.

A major part of the Namibian youth is a depressing situation. Most of us tend to forget that there is life after all the late nights spent in Club London or Vibe slowly but surely poisoning our bodies with ‘friends’ who probably won’t even recognise us in the next 10 years.

There is more to life than crop tops and booty shorts and Rolex watches.

Build your identity in withstanding societal stereotypes and cultivate the all-too-rare warrior spirit within yourself. A spirit that does not easily yield to the tasteless promises of this world. If you don’t build your identity, others will build one for you. It’s a sad but unchangeable life truth.

“A ship at sea only sinks once it allows the sea water to enter it and if not, it stays afloat” are my mother’s words to me on a regular basis.

Dear youth, you are the ship. The water represents all the happenings around us.

More often than not, these happenings, which often go against our intrinsic values, are foreign to us, if not harmful.

Unfortunately, they are unavoidable situations. However, they only drain the life out of you once you allow them to through conforming to these norms.

Dear youth, maintain your identity by not allowing anybody (or anything) to ever tell you what you’re supposed to do and who you’re supposed to be because true identity can and will only come from within once you have the courage to let go of the desire to be just like everybody else.