The Fame Issue by Mitchell Royel

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appreciate authenticity and connect better with people they can relate to. (Deep sigh) Rejection is a touchy subject for me, but I don’t mind being transparent. Loved ones in my life have rejected me. For a long time, it was an unbearable challenge which negatively affected my self-esteem and relationships. It would take me to a dark place of self-loathing because I used to internalize everything. But I learned that NO now means YES to something better later. I also learned that what I thought was rejection was sometimes a manifestation of other’s issues, and I know that I don’t have to carry anyone else’s baggage. The ego is a powerful thing. When most people think of ego, they think of someone that is narcissistic and self-deluded. The ego often gets a bad rap, but it’s not always a bad thing. I think the key is to have a healthy ego strength. It’s a delicate balance, which I still have yet to master. Admittedly, my ego sometimes gets the best of me when I forget that I don’t have to respond to everything that upsets me. But sometimes my ego helps me to stand up for myself when the occasion necessitates it, and I think that’s a good thing. I’ve never been one to subscribe to the concept of haters and for that matter never thought or knew I had any until last year when I released my debut, EP Love Story. An anonymous “hater” on Facebook reported a sponsored ad for my EP release party that one of my friends posted on their page the week of the event. The post was removed, but it was no longer circulated on Facebook. I was furious when my friend told me. Unfortunately, anyone can report a post and enjoy the privilege of anonymity regardless if the report is valid or not. So I couldn’t do much about it, but thankfully the release was sold out with standing room only. For the most part, I stopped caring what others thought about me. No matter what you do or say, there’s always

someone that may have some criticism regarding how you live your life. In the past I allowed what I feared other people thought about me, to stop me from catching my dreams. As humans, we are pleasure-seeking beings and as such we will do anything and everything to avoid pain. For some, the thought of people’s disappointment or disapproval is debilitating. People pleasing leads to misery and disease. I’m so glad that I got over that fear. One over-arching theme in my life is true to self and by not going for what I desired I wasn’t honoring myself. But once I got over myself, my dream came true, and I’m happier because of it. I believe that I am a star in my right. It is only a matter of time before my music and art become known to the world. As I continue to work diligently, my dreams will come to fruition. Forget the entertainment industry. It’s all changing so rapidly from the traditional industry as we’ve come to know it. Carve your path. Put your intentions out there into the Universe and follow it with continuous action. Be ok with failing and know that you will succeed if you persevere. Don’t wait for money, the right people, or the right time. The only right time is NOW. Do what you can, when and how you can and trust that the rest will fall into place. Epic things have small beginnings. If you’re afraid, do it afraid anyway. Stay surrounded by people that help to keep you grounded in positivity and are healthy for you. Most importantly be true to yourself, ALWAYS.

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