It’s such a small, simple thing that can be overlooked but it can change your core being: forming thoughts and opinions on your own, without blindly following others.

When we grow up, we may unintentionally adopt our parents’ qualities and belief systems, but there is a time when we have to form our own. You don’t need to be an outright argumentative and rebellious person to think for yourself, it just means that your opinions come from a well-thought out, strong sense of self and confidence. Sometimes we can’t go against our cultural norms and customs, but it can be terribly restraining if we never question the status quo and become sheep to someone else’s programming. 

For instance, a lot of us follow trends in music and fashion in order to feel cool, but after a while these trends die down, then you are left with a gaping hole in your bank account trying to keep up with the next trend. Too often I see people become victims of bullying and accusations as mob mentality spreads like wildfire. It’s time to stop doing yourself a disservice in fear of confrontation or rejection; do your own research and come to your own conclusions. Believe it or not (of course, after coming to your own conclusions), it might just make your life a bit better.