Dear Megan: Should I Change My Major?

Image thanks to Jane Rahman

Dear Megan,

I have a small issue that I've been dealing with for about 6 months now, that has just been ruining my life. I recently discovered that I selected the wrong major, but I'm almost done only a year to go and my biggest fear in life is failure, it is the ultimate guidance to everything I do and don't do.

I want to switch majors but it would be to photography, I'm currently studying advertising. In many ways I chose that major because my parents thought it was the right one for me, they’re really big on academics and they’re paying for my school. The entire issue has even led me to be depressed. Sometimes I don't even want to get out of bed.

I could switch majors this late in the game but am scared that in the future I won’t be able to make enough money off of photography. Or I can stay in the major I am currently in until I finish. People who know me say that I'm just scared of failing at advertising and that I should be fine. But I'm so completely unhappy that it's affecting everything including my school work. Please help me.

Thank you. A devoted reader,

Jaqueline.

Firstly, Jacqueline, you can’t let this ruin your life; that’s exactly the kind of pressure that confuses and pushes us into making the wrong choices. Education, however expensive, however vital to our careers, is always only part of any life. If it isn’t, if everything rides on it, then even a small hiccup can throw you off course.

Think of your entire life as a wheel, with each element of it as one spoke; the longer the spoke, the more satisfied you are in that area, the less happy you are, the shorter the spoke. Now, if some of your spokes are really short and only some are long – well, your wheel just will not spin, and, if it does, it will be one heck of a bumpy ride. Complete happiness relies on balance, that’s why they say money won’t bring you happiness, because you can’t be happy based on just one fact of life alone.

For you, it seems like you’ve put so much effort into making your career spoke the longest, strongest spoke, you’ve sort of missed the point altogether. It’s unfortunate that you were pushed into a major that you don’t necessarily think is right for you, but with just a year to go, I wouldn’t make any rash decisions.

My guess is that, if you look at the bigger picture, there are other factors causing you to feel unhappy. Your friends might be right; could it be a question of not really believing in yourself? I’m worried about your ideas of failure and success and what that means to you. Could you have placed so much on career and academic success because, perhaps, you are emotionally unfulfilled? Why does academic success guide you so strongly? These are questions you need to answer.

If you’re feeling pressured by your parents, then you must tell them how this is negatively affecting you. I’m sure that, deep down, them pushing you academically is only because they want the best for you. Talk frankly with them as an adult, tell them you appreciate that they have paid for your studies but you are having doubts; they were young and undecided once, and I'm sure no parent would want to contribute to the kind of depression you're describing.

Photography is a fantastic choice of career, and you should look at the positives – it is not a career that requires a college degree, it simply requires raw talent. I think, though, that you might be seeing photography as somewhat of an escape – it’s a hobby you love and so you’re idealising it into a dream career and a dream ‘you’. It could be your dream career, but it might not be. What you might find is that you opt for the photography major and you’re just as unhappy.

You’re right that it will probably be far harder to make a lucrative career from photography than it will with advertising, but the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. What if you kept going with the advertising and started to build your photography skills alongside it? Advertising can then be your back-up whilst you put your heart into photography.

Equally, however, don’t be afraid to follow your heart; we need more heart-followers in the world. If you truly want to be a photographer above everything else, and you know you have a genuine talent for it, I’d say there’s more risk in ‘playing it safe’ with the advertising, because you simply will never be happy doing it.

I’ve tried to give you some questions to think about here rather than prescribe a solution, the ultimate decision is one that, unfortunately, you have to make, and it seems to be a classic head/heart divide. My parting advice is a classic: sit in a quiet, comfortable space alone with a pad and pen, and mark out the pros and cons of each choice. Think about life five years down the line; think about life thirty years down the line; think about if the decision wasn’t to affect your parents, or be judged by your friends; think if money weren’t an option. Redefine your idea of failure and success as genuine, complete happiness or unhappiness, and focus on how all areas of your life will be influenced by your choice, rather than just one.

Has anyone else suffered a similar issue? Does anyone have any advice to share?

Words to Live By #84

Image thanks to A6U571N

"The greatest thing in the world is to learn how to be oneself."

Michel de Montaigne

The Saturday Salute 27.03.10

Image thanks to Lainey

Hi all, another week is over and Easter is almost upon us, yippee! A heck load of free time means some good posts lined up for the week to come but, for now, the links:

This is lovely.

This is funny.

This is interesting.

This is stylish.

This is useful.

Take care sweet stuff.

Four Years. Go.

I'm someone who is very much aware of what is going wrong with our planet, but feel like little old me couldn't make a difference, and use that as an excuse not to change. Is that similar to you? Well, we can make a difference, together. We need to start looking around us and see that none of us are in this alone, we are a collective and we should start acting like one if we want to preserve the most precious things we have: clean air, green spaces, healthy bodies, millions of wonderful animal species, community etc.

What if we gave ourselves a real goal? A time limit? Wouldn't that make it easier to plan what we're going to do, and actually execute it rather than procrastinate? What if that time scale was 4 years and it started NOW? Well, it's happening, so do your world a favour and get on board.



Use Charade to voice your opinions, share ideas or even ask for ideas of what you can do. Let's make our children, and their children, proud.

15% Off Last 15 Annuals 2008-09

Image thanks to yyellowbird 

Hip-hip-hooray - we are down to the last 15 of the 2008-09 Charade Annuals! If you've been meaning to get yours, you had better act fast!

As a special treat, this week only in celebration of getting down to the last 15, I'm letting you take a nice little 15% chunk off the price. Take advantage and buy one, or even two, before it's too late. I won't be getting any more printed, so, if Charade in book form sounds like your bag, get yours now :)

Here is what the worldwide recievers of this little book full of big ideas have been saying:

Today I received the Charade Annual I won at the Yes & Yes giveaway! I really wanted to thank you for the opportunity and tell you that it is amazing! It is designed beautifully, and I love the articles you chose! I'm really glad I could get it! Again thank you so much! - Azul


I just wanted to let you know how much I love the annual! I'm living in Germany at the moment, so I had it delivered to my parent's house in England and obviously it arrived AGES ago, but I've only just come home this weekend and so finally get to read it. I've only been following your blog for a few months, so it's really great to see a selection of older posts that I've not seen, and I love having them all in a book that I can dip into whenever I want to feel inspired. Keep up the great work, I can't wait until next year's edition. - Lizzie


My copy just arrived in perfect time for my day off! It looks so pretty, looking forward to sitting down with a big cup of tea and reading it :) - Jen

They are some happy customers... and now it's your turn!

The code you need at the checkout will be:

LAST15 

That will save you a healthy £2.25 (15%) off the Annual price. You have until midnight this Sunday to use the discount. What are you waiting for?!




Remember: If Paypal perturbs you, you're afraid you live in too remote and distant a location, or you have any questions whatsoever - we can work something out. Don't be shy, I've always got an ear to my email: megan@charadestyle.com

Thanks, as always, for your friendly voices and wowing support - I can't wait to get started on the new Annual!

Words to Live By #83

Image thanks to i.anton

 

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” 

from The Alchemist

The Saturday Salute 20.03.10

 Image thanks to vintage fairytale

A bit of an absent week, I'm aware, but uni is reaching its crescendo before the easter break (when I will be all yours with a fun new style series to boot!) Here are the linkys, minkys:

Utterly whim-tastic, National Flags Never Tasted This Good.

3 Reasons You Should Be Selfish on Positively Present.

A hefty inbox stressing you out? Why Leo Babauta doesn't do email and how you can follow his lead.

A very cute Alice photo Shoot.

Try timeboxing.

Love as always,

8 Easy D.I.Y. Fashion Tutorials

Image thanks to sasha (fujin)

I had a request a few months back for some tips on D.I.Y. fashion, you know, getting crafty with your clothes. I thought long and hard about this, and really wanted to do some tutorials and get myself making some things. Sadly, I suck at making things. Not only do I suck at making things, I suck at finding the time to even suck at making them. Therefore, I have decided, instead, to point you in the direction of some girls who make it look easy:

♥ Love Maegan does flirty ruffle and bow panties.
♥ Amber says repair a dress with a bit of heart.
♥ P.S. I made this does a cute lace bow with you.
♥ Mrs Priss helps you make felt rosettes.
♥ Craft Stylish makes a sweet belted skirt from a mans shirt.
♥ Monoxious show us embellished lace tights.
♥ Running with Scissors makes a delicious D.I.Y. necklace that would certainly get you noticed. 
♥ Cut Out + Keep does a reversible sash tube top.

Do you know any sweet fashion crafts?

Words to Live By #82

Image thanks to coso blues  

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”

Aaron Rose

The Saturday Salute 13.03.10

Image thanks to charlotte rutherford

Just a quicky because my beautiful friend has just arrived from Italy, it is a gorgeous sunny day in Bristol, and I predict fun times are very much on the cards! (Uni work, what uni work...?)

If you enjoyed the L2L Budgeting podcast, you might just love Financially Smitten.

All about getting your own way? Learn 5 Tricks For Getting People to Say Yes from GetInTheHotspot.com.

If you adore baking, prepare to have a happy heart attack at the sight of these button cookies from Bakerella. Yummm and awwww in equal measure!

Swoon over all the handmade spaces at Modish - makes me want my own place so bad it kind of hurts.

And that's all I've got for you, pickles. Have a great weekend!

5 Ways to Catch Up on Work When You Fall Behind

Image thanks to jessica flavin

There are few things worse when you are a student than that feeling of being completely out of control with your workload. Sadly, this can often happen even when we’ve done our very best to avoid it, because of unexpected pressures and non-academic commitments. The last thing you want to do when you feel this way, however, is to let it get you down – you’ll only hit a downward spiral that way. Instead, accept that you’ve taken your eye off the ball, take a deep breath, and get to work on making your outlook a little brighter. Here are five of my tips on catching up at university or college:

♥ Get a Study Buddy. There are few things more encouraging than the support of a real person so, as geeky as it may at first seem, finding someone to work with simultaneously can be really beneficial. Organise sessions side-by-side in the library, set fake deadlines together a fortnight or so before your real ones (and hold each other accountable), or even just meet for coffee and really talk things through. You might soon find that you’re well ahead, rather than lagging behind.

♥ Take an hour. Even if you feel totally swamped with little to no free time, chances are you can find an hour to sit down and get to grips with just one piece of work. Between lectures, before or after dinner, in between two of your favourite TV shows – there’ll be an hour to find somewhere. Even if you don’t finish what you work on, this solid block of time with only one focus will certainly help you make progress.

♥ Write a comprehensive list of everything you need to get done. This sounds obvious, but is more than a simple to do list. I’m talking about every piece of work that needs to be in: any academic appointments or emails you need to organise, any seminars you really can’t afford to miss – look about a month ahead and factor everything in to get on top of it all. It can be difficult for us to be truly organised without a physical map of the work we need to do and, if you don’t write something down, you could easily forget it all together and fall even further behind.

♥ Tackle one thing at a time. Focusing on getting everything done all at once rarely works. If you’ve got a free day, rather than doing a little bit of everything, take just one piece of work and tackle that to completion. The weight that gets lifted will feel a lot greater.

♥ Talk to your tutors. It’s easy to forget what your tutors are actually there for and feel like you’re on a lonely expedition to hit your deadline; but remember that your tutors want you to do well and are there to help you. If you’re stuck with a particularly grumpy tutor, try getting an appointment with another one within your subject department. They were students too once upon a time and will probably be happy to give you some advice and support.

Do you have any words of advice for students feeling overwhelmed by their workload? Your fellow kind needs you!

When Academic Life is Not as it Seems...

Image thanks to Klaireebearr 

  

This is a guest post by Martin from TheUniversityBlog. Enjoy!

.............................................................................................................................

Studying is just one aspect of many in the university experience and, like it or not, it's an important one.

As highlighted here on Charade, students think about all sorts. There's fashion, thrifty living, friendship, future plans, fun... and that's not even considering the sudden challenges and boring admin tasks you receive in everyday life. No wonder it's hard to make sense of everything!

Study is often one of our most important concerns, but with so much other stuff to juggle, it's easy to lose your way and start believing things that aren't really the case. For example, if you've heard some of the following comments, or even said them yourself, make sure you look at the situation a bit more closely:

"I managed it once, I'll manage it again."

Don't be so sure of yourself. It'll be the making of your downfall. Returning to bad habits is a lot easier than you'd think.

"I can't do this. What's the point?"

The point is you don't know how well you'll do until you do it. Take your past successes in difficult circumstances and consider how you acted then. Acknowledge the blocks in your mind and force yourself to try without relying on excuses. It is only after you seriously attempt something that you can get feedback and move forward. Time to craft the life you want!

"The best way to learn is to get the right information in my head before I start making mistakes."

Actually, you do better when you try dishing out information yourself, before knowing the answers. You may not even know the answer, but to try and fail first helps the learning process.

"I don't get it. We didn't even cover this in the lectures."

Before you panic, focus on the specific question or task at hand. What aspects are you confused about? What else could it mean? Is it challenging you to disagree or set an entirely different argument? In exam situations, keep trying. Giving up is the last thing you want to think about at this point. In coursework situations, speak to the tutor if you still can’t figure it out. Go through what you’re uncertain about so they can point you in the right direction.

"This isn't what I came to study for. This is ridiculous!”

Back at uni, I remember a group of Performing Arts students returning to halls from a group session. They were absolutely livid. How dare the tutors waste their time asking everyone to perform on stage alone with a shoe. A SHOE!

Taking a step back, the seemingly ridiculous concept makes a lot of sense. By performing alone, with a single inanimate object on stage with you, the entire focus is on the actor. Far from ridiculous, this is an opportunity both to shine and to explore weaknesses in your performance. Sometimes you need to change your perspective in order to know why something is important.

"I've revised every possible thing that could be in this exam. It'll be fine."

You're not at school any more. The time for rote learning is long gone. You may be aware of most concepts that will be mentioned in an exam, but you won't know it all. NOBODY knows it all. A cock-sure confidence is dangerous. By all means feel enthusiastic that you've practiced hard, but don't be so certain that a top grade is a foregone conclusion.

"I haven't got time for this. Why do they set so much work?"

As I've said, our attention is pushed in every direction with the sheer number of considerations we face each day. However, you have to accept the need to drop an activity or change your priorities. Unless everyone on your course is up in arms at the unreasonable workload, the focus needs to shift to you. You may not like doing it, but you have to find a way to manage your time differently.

"I got scored low because the tutor doesn't like me. What is their problem?"

Okay, we don't all see eye to eye, but you'll be hard pressed to find a tutor that bases marks on how much they like you. Similarly, you won't get a low grade because the marker disagrees with a well-formed argument. It is hard to substantially prove these things (perhaps this is one case in favour of anonymous marking...), but with second markers, external examiners, and so on, it's highly unlikely you'll get anything other than a roughly accurate grade.

"They've given me a low mark but they've totally misunderstood my argument. What an idiot."

When part of your coursework is not marked as highly as you would expect, it's easy to be angry at anyone other than yourself. However, carefully read feedback and work out why the result isn't as good as you'd hoped. If feedback isn't detailed enough or you truly, truly cannot see how your point could be viewed any other way, seek further clarification from the tutor as soon as possible. Go in with an open mind, not a heavy hand!

So, is academic work one of the most important things about your student experience? Or is it just one aspect of many in a topsy-turvy life? Either way, I wish you every success!

.............................................................................................................................

Martin Hughes writes at TheUniversityBlog on student affairs and achieving a full, entertaining, productive, and successful university experience. Go show him some ♥

Words to Live By #81

Image thanks to victor bezrukov

always the beautiful answer

who asks a more beautiful question.

e.e. cummings

Student Portraits: Julie

And you thought I'd forgotten all about Student Portraits... Okay, well I kind of had, until the excitable Julie emailed me with her answers all ready to go and I thought, why let her efforts go to waste? So, here I'll hand over to the lady herself:

Who? Julie of Christmas Lights in July

Where do you study?

I study Fine Art at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

Where are you from? Have you travelled far to study? If yes, what made you choose to do so? If not, why not?

I'm originally from Cambridge, Ontario which is not even a half hour drive to my house in Waterloo. I chose not to live at home though because it would be a 90 minute bus ride everyday; that's just one-way!

What made you choose the path of higher education?

I always knew that I wanted a higher education, I just wasn't always sure of where that would be. I also have always known that I wanted to study Fine Art. I've received multiple Visual Arts awards from my old schools and it just felt like everything in my life was guiding me in the direction of the fine art world. I've heard a few times that art wasn't "a real major", or that there was no future in it. To those people I have this to say: 1) You probably can do things that I cannot, but I'm SURE that I can do things that you cannot; 2) It's not about what you should do, you just do what you love and the rest will surely follow.

What do you love most about the course you study?

I never fully realized it until university that I am a total nerd for art history. Not too many kids these days ask for books on Impressionism, Klimt, or Michelangelo for Christmas, but I sure did (I also asked for Barbies and crap, so I'm not a total weirdo). My program just gives me so much passion and that's really not something you should force onto one that you don't fully love. I took a careers course last term and one thing they told us was that the games and activities you were drawn to as a kid can tell a whole lot about the career path you should follow. I think that is so true!

What do you love most about the place where you study?

I love our campus; it's kind of huge but in the warmer months it's gorgeous.

What would you change about your higher education experience?

The art history nerd in me wishes that we had more classical architecture (it's mostly brand-spanking new or it's kinda 80's), but I really just wish we had more tunnels. There's quite a few but they only go so far and usually not anywhere near where you actually need to be.

What are your main interests outside studying? Do they tie in with your future career?

I haven't been able to do anything with it lately but I really like interior decorating. When I moved into our little townhouse this past fall I got to paint my new room a nice warm yellow and I made the decorating theme a kind of a French Alice in Wonderland (I swear, before we moved in, my room had metallic silver walls - it looked like nail polish - with a nice black Playboy bunny theme) I know everyone is going on and on about the new Tim Burton movie (which I am excited for) but I was obsessed with the theme well before that! My favourite interior designers include Kelly Wearstler, Jonathon Adler, Dorothy Draper, etc. I think interior designing/decorating would be a pretty sweet career.

What are your aspirations after your course? 

I want to intern somewhere as soon as possible helping with anything creative. I would love to work either for a design firm or for a decorating magazine. I also want to fit in a good chunk of travelling at some point (La Tomatina, here I come!), there is a lot of ground that I want to cover. New Zealand, Italy, Thailand, the list just goes on. Hopefully whatever I end up doing career-wise will allow me to travel for the job.

Do you have any favourite student websites or blogs?

Well, Charade I check everyday of course, but I also love CollegeFashion.net, The Style Rookie, The Freelancer's Fashionblog, Jazzi McG, The Ensamble Project, Zoomdoggle, Mausumi, and Olsens Anonymous is pure guilty pleasure for me. I have to say iCing too (!!) even though that's not by a student. I live for blog updates just a little bit.

What would your three top tips be for a fabulous lifestyle on a student budget?

Wow, let me think about that for a minute...

1. I often make myself stop before I buy something frivolous and ask, will I really be sorry if I DON'T buy this today?

2. Credit cards have gift cards that you can just load up and give, I ask for those for holidays because it means that I can buy things online! (I do not trust myself with a real credit card so I refuse to apply for one).

3. You don't need to buy a ton if expensive things just to treat yourself. Treat yourself with a cute bubble bath from the drug store instead of say... a new $50 eye shadow. Thrifty is NOT the same as cheap.

And a final note...? Life is too short not to live beautifully every single day of your life!

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Thanks Julie! If anyone else is interested in a little portrait of themselves and a link to their blog, I'm all ears: megan@charadestyle.com

The Saturday Salute 06.03.10

Image thanks to miyukiutada

It's Saturday! We love Saturday's!

Thanks to everyone who has been buying the podcast, your support is super and always makes me smile. I'd love to hear any more feedback you have? That way, I can make the podcasts better and better, and tailor them to your collective hearts' desire.

Lots of nice links around this week:

Ah Jenny Blake... I find her blog so open and honest and inspiring and, frankly, all-consuming! I was particulary moved by her post on Empty Spaces (and Moving Past Lonliness) and her amazing book journey!

Stevie Pavlini (if I can call him that...) tells it like it is, as usual.

Corporette is a cute blog for the fabulous career woman.

People Tree sell gorgeous, ethical, bargain-priced clothes. I just bought these shorts in 'cloudburst' and can't wait for their arrival!

Also, you can find a belated part three to my 'Design Your Own Career' series over on Miseducated.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, remembering that you are a flower in the garden of the world and that being beautiful becomes you!

Learn to Love... Budgeting

Image thanks to D Sharon Pruitt

A few days late but it is finally scratched off, packed up and sealed with a kiss for your downloading pleasure - it's the second in my 'Learn to Love...' podcast series! (If you're a newbie to Charade and have no idea what I am jabbering on about right now, you might want to read this.)

This time I'm talking about money management and how you can, not only get to grips with it, but start a love affair that will last a lifetime. Here's a teaser:

Your world won’t come crashing down if you don’t start a savings account, and you won’t live a life of sorrow and torment because you don’t have a budgeting spreadsheet that you check religiously – I’m not trying to say you won’t get by without budgeting, but do you really want to ‘just get by’? I, for one, want more.

If you’re far too familiar with that ‘end of the month’ feeling and tired of the lack of freedom that comes with tight finances; if you want to be able to travel, to buy your own home one day, and feel comfortable and secure, whatever the world throws at you – then better budgeting may be just the answer you’re looking for...

♥ ♥ ♥

This won't cost the earth, and remember that 20p from every single sale will go to the Look Good, Feel Better cancer support charity. It could just be the best £1 you spend all month... Well, here's hoping!

Learn to Love... Budgeting ♥ - £1.00

If you missed the first podcast, it is still available to purchase, so why not give it a go?

Like before, if you have any hiccups with buying/downloading the file (it is a .zip containing both the PDF and MP3) please email me and I will do my very best to help: megan@charadestyle.com

Enjoy!

Monthly Must-Haves: March 2010

Something amazing has happened around these parts. It's as if March has officially brought spring with it, we've actually had sunshine! I've been out without a jacket! I sat on a bench outdoors, because I wanted to! The sunshine seasons are coming, my friends, and I for one could not be happier. Now, down to the business of the must-buys...

♥ 1. The Vintage Knit. Extra points if it really is vintage, unlike this cutey from Miss Selfridge. Knits will become more important as we approach spring because you'll be losing that coat and showing the world your threads at last!

♥ 2. The Pendant. I left my rocking horse pendant at my parents' house and I am honestly lost without it, I think a new purchase is on the cards because it is seriously the simplest way to snazz up a sad outfit. Get this horsey from ASOS.com for your very own.

♥ 3. The Girly Socks. Anything girly gets my vote, but cute socks with heels has got to be my favourite emerging trend. These are for kiddies, but they're popping up on the high street for us big girls too.

♥ 4. The Over-Night Bag. Every girl needs an overnight bag, how else can you whisk away for the weekend in style? I really adore this travel-themed one from Aspire Style; the message on the front reads 'something for the weekend' - too sweet!

♥ 5. The Cute Brooch. Aside from pendants, brooches are hands-down the best way to add personality to the plainest-of-plain ensembles. You'll put a smile on the face of everyone you meet with this I love you brooch from Hannah Zakari.

♥ 6. The Floral Shorts. Floral prints are huh-uge this season, but avoid the jersey dresses that everyone is wearing and, instead, make a statement in some short shorts! These would be perfection for spring with nothing more than a white t-shirt and black tights. 

What is your is your wardrobe crying out for as you experience the first heart-fluttering pictures of springtime?

Featured Promotion: Stella McCartney Lingerie Giveaway from Bodyform!

We could all do with getting a little closer to nature, and it looks like some of our favourite brands are taking note. Bodyform's new range of liners and towels contains extracts of soothing camomile and aloe vera, and work in tune with women’s bodies to give ultimate confidence throughout their monthly cycle.

To celebrate the launch of this new range, Bodyform are asking women to share their tips on what makes them feel naturally confident by visiting bodyform.co.uk (just click on the main animated panel).What's more, Bodyform are also hosting a six week long competition, and it's a goody.  

Each day for 42 days they are giving away a £100 online voucher to be redeemed on the beautiful designer lingerie range by Stella McCartney*. Ooh la la...

One winner will be drawn every day between 1st March and 11th April 2010 - but you've got to be in it to win it! To enter the competition for the chance to get your hands on this amazing prize, visit the site now.

The new Bodyform Natural range is available from only £1.39 RRP, but don't forget you can also request your FREE sample and try before you buy at bodyform.co.uk.

* This promotion is not associated with Stella McCartney in any way and the depiction of the product in any marketing material is purely for illustrative purposes only.

Words to Live By #80

Image thanks to klaireebear

"You are a unique creature.

You are here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand.

You are nature's greatest miracle.

You are rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, you are valuable."

Og Mandino