As Nelson Mandala eloquently asserted "There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living”. Being a non-conformist can be hard especially, when your ideologies and rituals are incongruent with the mindsets and behaviours of the majority populace. Every criticism and disparaging comment however has fuelled me to dream bigger, to think harder, to enact firmer and to behave better. By upholding an oppositional stance, I realised conformity is unhelpful. It doesn’t teach you to be authentic and transformative. Do not be reduced by other people’s affairs and agendas. Rather lead the way with courage and expansiveness.