Never forget where you came from essay

I have tremendous respect and admiration for people who are authentic, people who happily acknowledge their family background and cultural roots, and who never forget where they come from. There are many people in the world who have struggled to have a better future, and they have accomplished it by hard work, dedication, sacrifices, and by the help of others. A great number of these people have made it big in business, and in the media and entertainment industries--to name a few.

The saddest thing to see is how quick some of these people forget where they come from to a point that they feel ashamed to talk about their past and how they arrived to where they are now. I think this goes beyond sad because such stories can serve as a very valuable tool to encourage other people who have also embarked on a journey to pursue a better future. Why does this happen? What makes these people "forget" where they come from?

When people go through hardships in life, they often become resentful and frustrated for having struggled more than others. Even when they make it big, they are selfish, arrogant, boastful, disrespectful, and so on. It seems that in the way to pursuing a better future, their hearts were hardened by the circumstances they had to endure.

It is understandable that suffering and pain can cause any person to feel the most negative emotions. However, when people's goals have been satisfactorily met, there's no reason for them to allow those negative emotions to control them. Life is hard, no doubt. Fortunately, we can learn to be better people without forgetting where we come from.

How do you remain true to yourself? Here are five pieces of advice that can be very helpful to you.

Don't be ashamed of your family background and cultural roots: Our world is so diverse, and no nationality is better than another. Not having had the best parents, the ideal childhood and the most prestigious academic education are not a reasons to feel embarrassed about your life. You are at a better place now than you were yesterday, this is what counts. Do not let other people define who you are because of where you come from. No one has had a perfect family nor has had the perfect cultural and educational experiences.

Acknowledge and share your struggles and accomplishments: This does not imply that you have to dwell on the difficult things that you went through. There's a difference in acknowledging your struggles and sharing how you overcame them; doing this helps you to continue pressing on and this is also encouraging to others.

Be grateful to the ones who help you: Always recognize the people who help you during your journey. This is not about repaying them for what they have done for you, it is about being grateful and showing that you do not take people or things for granted. Do what your heart tells you to do. Having an attitude of gratitude is key in life.

Help others with your resources: Remember the people who've helped you and be the kind of person who helps others, too. Helping others is rewarding. It is not about the amount of help that you can give, it is about the good disposition that you have to help. You may not have what a certain person needs, though you can lead her to someone who could provide what she needs. You have more resources to help others than you think. It is not always about money.

Be respectful to everyone: Respect is to be extended to every person, it is a human right. Respect people. If you do not agree with what some people believe or say, it is okay, respect them anyway. At the same time, keep healthy boundaries in place. Being disrespectful to disrespectful people is foolish. 

Have an accountability group in place: It is very important to have people in your life that you can reach out to for advice and to keep a reality check on how you're coping with things. Your group may consist of two or more people who you highly trust and confide on. This is extremely essential for you to thrive in life.

Never forgetting where you come from will keep you grounded and in touch with reality. Embrace your life and that of those who have helped you to be where you are now.

If you liked this article, you may also like: The 4 C's of Walt Disney's Secret Success Formula.

What do you think about embracing your past and your present no matter what you have gone through? Please share in the comments section below. 

Image credit: inmygroup.com

What makes us who we are today? Is it where we come from? The way in which we were raised? Or is it those who are standing behind us no matter what? It is all of these and then some. That is why I believe in never forgetting where you came from. To forget where it is you have come from is to forget all that has been done by you and others to make you out to be the person you are today. And what about those who aren’t as blessed as you, what about them?

To forget where you came from is to disrespect that one person who has raised you, and for me that is my mother. If it wasn’t for that strong black goddess behind me, I wouldn’t be the man that I am today and be accomplishing the things that I have. It was this woman who taught me to: 1) make something of myself; 2) never give up, the only person that can hold me down is me; 3) take full responsibility for what I have and haven’t done; but mostly, 4) never forget where I came from. It is this knowledge and love that I have received that has guided me through my 21 years of existence and keeps me going.

Because of this knowledge, I always have something to look back on and see where and how I have grown, from the time I was a small boy living in the busy streets of Silicon Valley, to the young man who is getting an education from an institution of higher learning and one day becoming a great and successful lawyer. This knowledge that has been drilled in my head has given me the strength to not look down on people, but to look at their situations. Due to this knowledge, I have realized at a young age that failure is not an option. This knowledge also has empowered my motivation to help others.

Helping others is the main goal behind all that I do. When figuring out what kind of lawyer I wanted to be I asked myself, how can I best give back to my community? After seeing and experiencing the negative consequences of my parents’ divorce, I knew that it would be best if I studied Family Law. Why? Because most of family law cases involve divorce or children in some form, and what better representation form someone than to have someone who has gone through the tough aftermath of issues like these. Helping others is also the key motivation for doing volunteer work at places like the shelter, the food kitchen, and even donating those things that are taken for granted every day, and giving them to those who would have a better sense of understanding and love for them because they never had the chance to obtain those items, whatever they may be.

The one thing that stands out and keeps me on the path to never forget where I come from is that at the end of the day, those who are going to stand by you and never let you fall are those who come from where you do. Who else knows what makes you cry, makes you smile, makes you happy, but mostly knows how to comfort you when you need it? Who else is going to take the ride with you, through the pain of love, the trials and tribulations of life, the happiest of moments, the lost of those closest to you, and through the rain and lead you to the sunshine? The answer is those who have gone through everything you have, but mostly come from where you come from and have an understanding of where you are and want to go.

So, the key to it all is to never forget where you come from. Many times people look down on those who are where they use to be and act like they are better than them because they aren’t accomplished like them. But the key is to not disrespect them because to disrespect them is to disrespect yourself, because you used to not be the person you are either. Also, you are doing more than disrespecting them; you are disrespecting those who raised you, those who gave you a helping hand, and those who looked out for you. So, why wouldn’t you want to pass that on and allow the next person to become as great and terrific as you? So, to the woman who has shown me the right path through the rough times, times of having to keeping numerous people around me to make sure I made it home with the same shoes on that I left the house in, times of heating up the house with the oven because we couldn’t afford to run the heat, times of not having anything, times of trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cent, but also times of being my father, as well as my mother, when mine didn’t want to be there, I thank you. It is this idea of never forgetting where you came from in which I believe because it has shaped my views on things and has led to the believing of other things, like being a good parent, love, life, and prosperity. It is because of you I do believe and because of you I know that I am not doing this just for myself, but for you, those back home in San Jose, CA, my kids, and more importantly me, because I never thought I would make it, but I can and will. It is this in which “I Believe”.

Why is it so important to never forget where you came from?

What does it mean to remember where you came from?

Do not forget where you came from?