So many people are caught up in the game of trying to be like some one they are not. They live their lives half asleep while trying to navigate life's challenges. Nowadays it has become easier to fake our true identities instead of being who we were created to be.

This challenge may seem like a cliche as we are used to hearing it from various sources such as preachers, self help books, and motivational speakers. The phrase that often accompany it is always 'Be an original. Not a photocopy.' My sense is that many people have become tired of hearing these cliches so much that whenever they are spoken we roll our eyes and check our watches giving the speaker an indication to hurry up and get done. We have become numb to motivational jargon and I concede this arena has been overplayed and to a certain degree over-rated.

MY STORY

As a secondary school learner I found it difficult to fit into crowds. When I was finally accepted in a crowd I spent a lot of my time trying to please my friends. I was one of those guys who would say yes to a group decision only to wonder why I agreed to it when I was alone. 

This tendency often led to my friends taking me for granted and despising what I had to say. To them I was just a follower not a leader in my own right. And because of my quiet personality I allowed this treatment to grow like a python to the degree that it literally became difficult to manage. 

Later when I was 18 years I realised that there is no way that my friends will be there to live my life for me. You see my life was encapsulated in group think and group decisions so much that I forgot that I was an individual who is ultimately responsible for my life.

The Journey to Change

It was not until I was confronted by the challenge to make a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord that I saw the importance of an individual decision. This turning point became very critical for me. Whereas before I would wait to check what my friends thought, now I was forced to step out from the crowd and be confronted by the Cross of Jesus Christ with my shortfalls, sins, and limitations on my own. 

I knew that this decision will bring about a lot of changes in my life that may not resonate with my friends and to a certain extend my family. But deep in my heart I knew that it was highly critical for me to take this decision without the opinion of friends. And in my opinion, I believe the first step to the journey of being an original had just begun.

The ongoing Journey... Aluta Continua

May I say that this struggle to being an original is not a once-off event but an ongoing process of defining yourself in the midst of challenges, complications and resistance. It is the ongoing fight to stay true to your identity when others keep trying to superimpose theirs on you. I continue to remind myself that my name is Olefile Masangane and not some obscure person whom no one can relate to. I was made and designed with specific attributes and traits that no one else can mimic.

A lesson from nature

Some of the environmental experts say that the act of mimicry is dangerous in the wild. It is believed that species that look dangerous and act likewise have a better chance of survival than those that act dangerously but are not dangerous. In the same way, people can get caught up in the lives of others so much that their lives begin to dictate terms for your life. The best way to get the most out of your life is to quit trying to be like someone else and be yourself.

God Bless

Olefile