MAINTAINING YOUR "STEEZE"

In a world where copying others often feels safer than being yourself, staying true to your "steeze" takes real courage. Everywhere you turn, there’s pressure to look like this person, talk like that person, or live life according to what’s trending. Over time, it becomes easy to forget who you really are and start moving with the crowd just to feel accepted.

But your "steeze"—your personal style, mindset, and way of seeing things—can’t be borrowed. It’s not something you pick up overnight or fake successfully. It’s built from your experiences, your struggles, your failures, and the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Every small decision where you choose what feels right over what feels popular adds another layer to it.

Being authentic doesn’t mean trying to be different for attention. It simply means being honest with yourself. It means knowing what aligns with you and having the confidence to stand by it, even when others don’t get it. Many people lose themselves trying to fit into spaces that were never meant for them, and in the process, they silence their own voice.

Your personality is not ordinary. It is shaped by where you come from, what you’ve been through, and what you hope to become. That unique mix gives you a way of thinking that no one else has. It allows you to notice things others ignore, approach problems differently, and bring ideas to the table that can’t be replaced.

Of course, staying true to yourself isn’t always comfortable. There will be moments when it feels like you’re standing alone while everyone else is moving in another direction. You may question yourself or feel tempted to conform just to avoid being misunderstood. But comfort rarely leads to growth. Some of the most meaningful progress happens when you choose authenticity, even when it feels lonely.

What many people don’t realize is that being yourself gives others courage too. When people see someone living honestly and confidently, it reminds them that they don’t have to pretend either. Your "steeze" might be the quiet motivation someone else needs to start embracing their own.

At the end of the day, maintaining your "steeze" isn’t about perfection or approval. It’s about integrity. It’s about showing up as yourself, even when it’s not easy. The world already has enough copies. What it needs is more people willing to be real in a world where conformity feels safer and social pressures constantly push us toward imitation, choosing authenticity requires genuine courage. Your individual "steeze"—that unique combination of style, perspective, and personal flair—can't be borrowed or manufactured; it's cultivated through countless small decisions where you choose what feels genuinely right over what feels popular or safe. This authentic self-expression isn't about being contrarian, but about recognizing that your distinct viewpoint, shaped by your specific experiences and insights, offers something irreplaceable that no one else can replicate.

Maintaining your "steeze" is not about being perfect, loud, or different for show. It’s about being real, even when it’s inconvenient. It’s about choosing depth over popularity and truth over trends. In a world obsessed with conformity, authenticity is rare—and that makes it valuable. Stay rooted in who you are. The world doesn’t need another copy; it needs you.

 

- Maduka, Ikenna Samuel