I AM…#BE_the_change
We all have a blueprint of who we think we are. This isn’t a superficial “I think I am beautiful or I think I am ugly.” At the center of our existence is a belief of the type of person we each think we are. Based on this belief, somethings are easy and attainable for us, some are difficult and impossible for us. This concept of the type of person you think you are is built from your past experiences; it’s built since infancy and continues to develop as you grow older. If this concept is good, based on what we have seen and experienced, we will generally have a good, successful life with a great attitude. However, if this concept is distorted or broken, we generally have a bad, unsuccessful life. Dr. Maltz, the inspiration behind my work, explains that “a person cannot rise above how he sees himself.” Because most of us have carried certain self-images for so long, they are so elusive and vague that it is hard to belief we have one, and that it is pretty much controlling our results.
When we have a weak self-image, we suffer low self-esteem, insecurity, anxiety, frustration, inferiority/superiority complexes and just cannot seem to be able to break bad habits. Because the self-image dictates what we can and cannot accomplish, we spend our lives fundamentally believing something is wrong with us and never living up to our full potential. Even if we do work our behinds off and end up acquiring different symbols of success like status, possessions, and riches, as long as we harbor a weak self-image we end up insecure and experiencing some variation of impostor syndrome. We end up still miserable because deep down we don’t belief we are worthy of the good we possess and always feel the need for external validation which only makes for more insecurity and frustration, thus rendering us unable to enjoy the ‘good’ life we have worked hard for.
The worst part is, we become and embody what we see around us in our formative years. Whether good or bad, legacies are forever being passed down from generation to generation. Wealth and happiness can be passed down just as readily as poverty and misery. In a similar manner, if left unchecked, weak self-images can be passed down as well, making for generation after another of insecure, depressed and anxious people. If left unchecked and uncorrected, a poor self-image can go as far as taking a life of anyone who feels unworthy of the gift of life. My generation, millennials and Gen Zs, are especially feeling the backlash of weak self-images. Our mental health is at stake; we are broken; we are hurting; we are lost.
I Am…#BE_THE_CHANGE is a combination of my personal struggles with mental health issues and tons of introspective teaching moments my peers can benefit from. It also gives insight which parents, mentors and superiors can benefit from by understanding their children’s, mentees and subordinates’ self-images and how to help them create better ones so they can experience more life and better results in their lives. I take a deep dive into the root cause of mental health issues and how contemporary “self-help” techniques are being misused and can be causing more harm than good. I offer timeless ways in which we can redefine who we are and start to become the change we seek in our communities. I employ the power of “I AM” to remind us of who we truly are and get us moving in the right direction. Lastly, I call on all of us to become one another’s keeper by lovingly and empathetically helping one another heal and become the best we can be. It is a call to action for youth and young adults to dream big, rise up, and take their stand in making this world a better place. We can only do this by first becoming the change ourselves.
Mpho A. Lethoba
Author of I Am…#BE_THE_CHANGE
Purchase the book here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/mpho-lethoba/i-am/ebook/product-24448895.html
instagram: @mpho_lethoba
email: mpholethoba11@gmail.com
photos: Nangah Tabukum
About Mpho Lethoba
Mpho Lethoba was born and raised in one of the world's poorest countries, The Kingdom of Lesotho. At 16 years old she was inspired to take action and bring positive change to her community. She started her first business meant to address the need for decent places where her peers could hangout after school and on weekends instead of being lured into underage drinking by only having bars as ‘social places.’ While the concept was great, her little to no understanding of accounting, business management and finance led to the inevitable failure of the business. This failure fueled her yearning to bring about social change to her country, Africa and the world. After personally engaging in personal development by means of self-help books, and recognizing the transformation in her attitude, thinking and life, leading her to academic success after another, she made it her mission to bring about this liberation to her peers. With the burning desire to liberate young minds from chains of self-doubt and unleash potentials, she started her first non-profit, Selibeng Book Club.
The mission of Selibeng is to create a Lesotho where youth have a sense of purpose by igniting a constructive leadership spirit in them. Starting with eight founding members, Selibeng quickly grew into an organization with over 30 members, reaching thousands of youth since inception. A year later, she came to the realization that lack of financial literacy, among other things, was the main cause of her country’s and continent’s financial calamity. It's this realization that led her to pursue a bachelor's in Accounting at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin Texas. In May 2018, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA while juggling two jobs, leadership positions in NABA, Toastmasters, Golden Key International Honors Society and HTU's Student Government Association as the Treasurer. She also interned thrice with and receive a full-time offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. She is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Business Analytics at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Mpho also recently co-founded another NGO in Lesotho, Loma U Siele Oa Heno, with the mission to not only equip youth with entrepreneurial skills but also provide them necessary start-up capital and mentorship to succeed in the private sector. Her life’s mission is to create more people who lead, who inspire and who take action as agents of positive change in their communities, understanding that change starts with the individuals. She is passionate about empowering youth particularly on the African continent, with knowledge, skills and resources they can use to transform their communities hence the continent. Her vision is to partner with passionate, talented and dedicated trailblazing youth to start companies and organizations that will positively impact and change Africa for the better. One of her most recent steps in the direction of this dream has been the publishing of her first book I Am...#BE_the_change. At only 25 years old, her life's motto is “all things are possible when you believe!” When she is not working or studying, she enjoys reading, and exhilarating outdoor activities. She also loves to travel and learn more about other cultures.