My Mentor

 

Having a mentor is really helpful in life. They’re someone you trust enough to give you the opportunity to be the best person you can be. The author of the book, “The Other Wes Moore” gives credit to the mentors that forced him to get serious about his behavior. I have someone in my life that I consider a mentor. Well, I have multiple people that I consider a mentor in my life. My mother, father, and sister have been some of the greatest mentors in my life. They guided me to be where I am now. I used to have a lot of self-doubt, but they helped me push that out of my brain. Growing up, I was always a self-motivator. I didn’t feel the need for someone to guide me or help me in any way other than homework I was unsure about. Not saying they were no help or an inspiration to me, they were. I just felt like I was fine doing my own thing, I knew what I wanted, and I just always did it. For example, I pushed myself to go to college. I always knew since second grade that I was going to college no matter what. I knew that before my family even spoke to me about college. Once I got to high school is when the problems started happening. High school was different for me, I had a lot of stress and anxiety about a lot of things going on. I started a new job once I was 16, it was a lot of stress on me, and I started to believe I couldn’t keep up with school and work. My family noticed I wasn’t like how I used to be, so they gave me so much advice. They helped me in any way they can because they knew I was going to be okay. They saw the potential in me, but I was losing that vision I had for myself once I started high school. Whenever my sister saw me getting into one of my moods, she would play our favorite songs on the speaker and blast it until I start singing it. My mom would cook my favorite meal and my dad would take me for a walk in the park to clear my head. They did so much more that it’ll take too long to put it in words. Overall, they put in a lot of effort to mold me into the person I am. They guided me and helped me keep hope that I will achieve what I wanted for myself. They continuously pushed me to be better because they knew I could do better which I know I can now. I used to think I can do it all on my own, but they helped me realize that its okay to have some help every now and then. As long as you have someone you can trust, you can trust that they will guide you to being your best self.

What Role Does Music Play in My Life?

 

 Many people can relate to the fact that music is a part of their life. It may not be the same type of music or not your typical form of music. Music comes in all shapes and forms, and it speaks to everyone in different ways. Music played a significant role in the other Wes Moore’s life. A certain genre really helped the other Wes Moore and he found it comforting. The type of music that played a big role in the other Wes Moore’s life was hip-hop. Music gave him peace and he felt really connected to hip-hop. A lot of people feel the same way about music, especially certain genres. When it comes to me, music is a huge part of my life. I grew up around so many different types of music. My parents were born in the late 60’s and early 70’s, so you could imagine hearing different types of music from the past eras. I have always loved listening to music since I was a baby. My mom has videos of me being so happy when she puts on certain songs to soothe me. Now that I’m older, I listen to a bunch of different people. I have a few favorites but they're all from different genres. One of my favorites is Billie Eilish, her genre of music could be considered pop/alternative. Another one is Nicki Minaj, which is one of my long-time favorites. Nicki Minaj is a mix of pop, rap, and hip-hop. Another one of my favorites is 50 Cent. His music falls in the range of rap and hip-hop. Each of these artists played a big role in my life and I do hope to meet them one day. When I listen to these artists, I feel happy and at peace. I listen to Billie Eilish because of the certain songs she makes that I can relate to. I feel like the lyrics speak directly to me and I love how her songs tell a story. I feel comfort and soothing when I listen to her which is why she's so special to me. I listen to Nicki Minaj whenever I feel down or insecure. Her music instantly gives me a confidence boost and makes me energized. The lyrics of her song were made to influence and inspire others which makes me love her even more. I love the rapper 50 Cent because his music just keeps me energized and his lyrics come from past painful experiences. I feel like each of my favorite artists played a huge role in my life because in a way it shapes me as a person. I feel happier and have fewer negative thoughts when I listen to them and music in general. I use music mainly as an escape from what’s going on in my life and anything negative. I like any type of music that pushes me to be happy and energized or get hyped up. I consider music to be one of my top coping mechanisms because as I said before it helps me feel better.

How I cope with difficult situations

 

   In the book, “The Other Wes Moore” We and his friends use basketball as a getaway. Everyone has something that they use as an escape. There always comes a time in someone’s life when you’re going through a lot and need a break. I personally have a few things that I do for a little escape from reality. One of my best ways to cope with difficult situations is to record myself venting. I sit at my desk in my room alone and record myself talking on my iPad. I keep it to myself because I don’t want anyone else to see because I typically like to keep my issues to myself. When I talk on video, it feels like relief of stress or whatever I’m going through at the time.

 I recently started going to the gym which I like to use now as a getaway. I feel like at the gym it clears my mind and the harder I work the less I think about all the problems going on. The issues in my head go away and I feel like the stress is leaving my body as I work out. Working out is known to release endorphins from your body anyways which makes you feel great after a workout.

    Music is one of my top coping mechanisms. When I listen to music, it brings me feelings of joy and peace. Depending on the type of music I’m listening to, I tend to dance around in my room listening to my favorite songs. I made so many playlists and when I feel overwhelmed or down, I pick the playlist that always makes me happy or calms my nerves. I find listening to music at night or while going on a walk is more peaceful. It’s like getting a break from being in your head all the time, you can just relax and enjoy the beats and sounds of the song. I always recommend listening to music to friends and family because sometimes all it takes is just five minutes of dancing around your room to help calm you.

  Since I’m into gaming I do love playing “The Sims”. I mainly play “The Sims 4” now but I play this game a lot. For those who might not know what this is, its like a life simulation game where I can make and control the characters and make up the towns. When I feel sad or anything I’ll turn on my laptop and play my game. My mindset when playing this is like “Since my life isn’t going too great, I can make my sim’s life better than how mine is going.” Creating sims and building houses and different buildings relieves my anxiety also. Overall, it’s just a really fun game and something to do to occupy your mind when things get tough.

  Life does get to be a bit much for us, so it’s always good to have something to cope with it. Everyone needs something that they like to do to cope with how they’re feeling even if its just something small like meditating, stretching, or anything. Doing something you love is a form of self- care. A healthy mind makes a healthy body, you just need to make sure you make time for you, even if its just five minutes of your day.

Are We Products of Our Environment or Products of Our Expectations?

 

After sitting and reading about this, I truly do believe that we are products of our environment. I feel as if the environment we live in and grew up around really is what shapes us as a person. When watching the video, I was honestly torn between whether we are the product of our environment or if we are the product of our expectations. Both perspectives have valid points, but I leaned more towards how we are products of our environment due to my personal experiences and the experiences of others around me.

  It is also known that what we grow up around us shapes us to be who we are. Our peers and even our parental relationships mold us and our mindsets. For example, someone that grew up in a strict household with no support usually tends to do more for themselves. When I say do more for themselves, I mean that they give themselves the support they never received from their family. Children want to make their parents proud and look for their support so they continuously push themselves to be the best they can be. They tend to be their own motivators once they realize they don’t receive the support and love from their parents.

  Another example, when I was growing up around a very supportive family that pushed me to be successful. They want me to be better than they were growing up. I feel like the positive influence they had over me shaped me to be an overachiever. I always strive to be the best I can be, even when I’m down I push myself back up because that’s how I was raised. Now that’s my mindset and how I live. Even when it came to friends, I was hanging around a lot of smart and goofy overachievers. I do feel that they had a great influence on my personality and sense of humor also. It’s the little things and different people you interact with that can really shape you into the adult you’re meant to be.

 We also have to think about the different influences society has on us. Every day on social media, there is something new that’s trending. People like to stay up to date with different trends so they can fit societal standards. Despite everyone wanting to be their own person and become the person they want to be, we are heavily influenced by social media and the environment around us. A lot of people turned out to be who they are due to social media influences.

  In conclusion, I believe that we are products of our own environment despite the valid points given for us being products of our expectations. I feel like your expectations come from somewhere. If you really think about it, your expectations are influenced by your environment and mindset. That’s what made me feel like I chose the right answer in my opinion. Every day we are heavily influenced the society we live in. We’re all still trying to find ourselves anyways. They are elderly people who still are trying to find themselves each day until they pass on. As we go on in life I think that what we were surrounded by when growing up and even now, it greatly impacts what we do now.