It's not uncommon to hear the word dope floating around especially with the younger generation. Dope is an urban word meaning something is awesome or cool. Many times you hear people say "Oh that's dope." But do you realize that you are dope?

What are you good at? What do you love to do? What's your hobby? Or passion? Are you embarrassed or ashamed about what it is that you love to do? It's funny because I used to feel like I had to hide who I was and what I loved to do just to fit in or be accepted. We are living in a time where we let outside influences manipulate so many aspects of our lives.

I'm a musician and growing up to some people, being a musician was like corny or not as popular. I remember trying to hide who I was because I didn't want people to think negatively about me. But trying to hide who I was became extremely hard. Music is apart of who I am. It's what I do. I was walking around trying to suppress who I was because I was so worried about the wrong things. The crazy part about it was the fact that it was because of who I was that people clung to me. So although I was trying to hide who I was, it never worked because who I was always found a way to come up and people recognized it.

So consider yourself. You have hidden talents, gifts and hobbies that people may not know about. Why do you sit on them? Why do you feel like you can't be you and do what you love? I'm here to encourage you and tell you that whatever it is that you do and are capable of, do it well. I've learned that you're respected more when you are yourself and when you do what you do unapologetically. If it was given to you, then that means it was meant for you to use it.

There are many things people have had no clue that I was capable of but because I choose to be who I am unapologetically, people are encouraged and inspired on a daily. So what if you be who you are unapologetically? How many people will be affected by it? You never know who's waiting on you to just be yourself. People are stuck and you never know it may be one thing you may have said or done that pushed them to do something new or different.

Don't let society or people push you away from your identity because it's your identity that has the potential to influence so many people. Don't feel as if an explanation is needed either. Be you. People will talk and people will spectate but if you're staying true to yourself, there's no explanation needed. Everyone is unique and everyone has a gift. And once that gift is tapped into, there's no need to feel any type of way. Be you. Be dope unapologetically!