Yahoo News 10 Of The Most Important Life Lessons Beyoncé Has Taught Me
(credit: Beyonce.com)
The greatest living performer of all-time celebrated her 35th birthday yesterday - Yes, I did say all time, as male or female it really makes no difference. Who even compares? They don’t call her the Queen for nothing.
With that being said, in honour of the Queen’s 35th birthday yesterday, here are ten of her her most important life lessons.
10. The importance of embracing, and owning our Mistakes:
“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”
This is the most valuable advice anyone can ever give you. Bey teaches us that mistakes are an integral part of the growth process. Mistakes should be seen as lessons and are something we should use to inspire us to carry on instead of instilling fear. You know what they say right? If you can’t beat fear, then just do it scared. Beyoncé is a prime example of that.
9. The importance of Equality:
“We’re not all just one thing. Everyone who believes in equal rights for men and women doesn’t speak the same, or dress the same, or think the same. If a man can do it, a woman should be able to. It’s that simple.“
Everyone knows Beyoncé is a proud feminist and humanist. In a world where inequality is so rife in numerous aspects, it’s important to identify areas such as sexism and racism that need adequate support and representation. I am also a feminist (liberal and intersectional) and Bey is one of the people who inspired me to be vocal about the cause. If you can’t support your own gender and things, events and causes that affect you and others like you, then who can you support?
8. The importance of Humility:
One of the things I love most about Beyoncé is her profound humility. I have never met a more humble, selfless and generous soul than her, and despite all of her accolades, achievements and successes, she continues to remain down to earth as ever. Bey teaches me that true humility is not necessarily thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself, less. That’s the essence of what makes us human and is the only pathway to success. This is something I pride myself upon and will always live my life by. Bey may have a song about an Ego - but she certainly doesn’t harbour one herself.
7. The importance of embracing our perfect Imperfections:
“When you love and accept yourself, when you know who really cares about you, and when you learn from your mistakes, then you stop caring about what people who don’t know you think.”
“You wake up, Flawless,” - Remember?
6. The importance of succumbing to and then overcoming Pain:
“The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you’re never too good to lose. You’re never too big to lose. You’re never too smart to lose. It happens.”
Bey teaches us that although pain is a strange thing at times, it’s necessary because it makes us stronger. “They say true love’s the greatest weapon, to end the war caused by pain,” she sings in All Night, in one of the most telling verses from Lemonade. But why is pain so important? Because most importantly of all, it has an end. The battle will always be won, even when it looks like it won’t be.
5. The importance of Self-Acceptance:
“I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world - I run my world.”
Is there anyone more feared than the individual who learns to seek validation from no one, but the reflection they see in the mirror? Let’s just ask Bey shall we? This is an on-going process for me, but Bey’s lessons about self-acceptance cannot be under-looked.
4. The importance of Power:
“Power’s not given to you. You have to take it.”
Just says it all - No elaboration necessary. If at first you don’t succeed, then just dust yourself off and try again. Take it. Be it. Own It. After all that’s what Bey does. Well, I mean, she’s Beyoncé, she’s the Queen. I strongly doubt there’s anything she can’t do, let’s be realistic here.
3. The importance of knowing our Self-Worth:
“Your self-worth is determined by you - You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”
Self-worth and self-love are to of the most important self-evaluation’s anybody can ever make. Bey teaches me that no matter what happens, you should always know your worth. Never settle for anything less than you deserve. You’re a queen, so you deserve to be treated like one.
2. The importance of Forgiveness:
“Love is an act of endless forgiveness. Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me - Forgiveness is the final act of love.”
Out of all of the hundreds of lessons Bey has taught me, this is the one I always remember. How many of us have ever been in that situation when we’ve been hurt by someone we care about? Whether that’s family, friends or a significant other, we often want nothing more than to “hurt” them back, but by doing so we’d create a seemingly never-ending cycle. Bey teaches us that by letting go, we’re not saying what happened was okay - we’re just making the choice not to be ruled by it.
1. When you are served lemons, make Lemonade:
If you haven’t been living in a cardboard box for the past six months, you’ll know that Beyoncé dropped her critically acclaimed album, Lemonade in April. Lemonade may sound like an odd name for an album title to some, but the concept is clear to those emotionally adept enough to understand. It was with this album alone that Bey taught us that the most important lesson of all:
When you are served lemons, such as hurt, pain, anger, denial, apathy or emptiness, you make lemonade instead. Accountability, forgiveness, hope, redemption, love… The list will always go on.
Lemonade is available to download on iTunes.
(All Image(s) Credit: Beyonce/Parkwood Entertainment)
