By
MERCY ROLAND
CEO, Mercyspeaks Initiative
You matter.
Your voice matters.
Your dreams matter.
No matter where you come from—whether it’s a busy city, a small town, or a quiet village—your life has value.
Your background does not limit your future. Your age does not cancel your potential. What you carry inside you is important, and the world needs it.
Don’t feel pressured to shrink yourself just to fit in or be accepted. Not everyone will understand you, and that’s okay. You don’t need to copy others, follow bad trends, or compromise your values just to belong.
The world doesn’t need another version of someone else—it needs the real you, with your unique ideas, talents, and perspective.
Learn how to channel your energy wisely.
Your strength, creativity, and passion are powerful tools. Put them into your education, your skills, your faith, your dreams, and your personal growth.
Social media, peer pressure, and negative influences can distract you, but you get to decide what deserves your attention. Not everyone deserves access to your time, your thoughts, or your heart—and setting limits is not pride; it is wisdom.
Choose peace over pressure.
In a world that constantly tells you to do more, have more, and prove more, learn to pause. Learn to say “no” when something threatens your mental health, your morals, or your future.
Saying “no” does not make you stubborn or disrespectful—it makes you focused and wise. Protecting your emotional and mental space is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Set healthy boundaries.
Boundaries help you stay grounded, disciplined, and safe. They help you avoid bad company, harmful habits, and unnecessary stress. You are allowed to walk away from anything that drains you, confuses you, or pushes you away from who you want to become.
This new year is a fresh opportunity.
It is a chance to grow smarter, stronger, and more intentional. If something didn’t work before, it doesn’t mean you failed—it means you learned.
Changing your strategy is part of growth. Growth is allowed. Growth is healthy. Growth is necessary.
Believe in yourself, even when others doubt you.
Be confident, but remain humble. Be kind, but don’t be easily influenced. Be disciplined, focused, and intentional about the life you are building. The choices you make today—your habits, friends, and mindset—are shaping your tomorrow.
Nigeria needs young people who are bold, thoughtful, and purpose-driven. The future belongs to teens who choose growth over distraction, values over validation, and purpose over pressure.
So stand tall.
Be yourself.
Walk in confidence.
Let your light shine—fully, boldly, and without fear.
Because when you shine, you give others permission to shine too.
By
MercyRoland
CEO, Mercyspeaks Initiative
https://www.instagram.com/mercyspeaks_initiatives
