Canada. A country  full of so much opportunity. We are so lucky to be living in Canada because we have access to free education, we can speak our minds and make our own decisions. Canadian children are so fortunate yet many of us are wasting our potential! Since the industrial revolution began in Great Britain during the 1750′s, we have experienced great technological advances. However, where do we draw the line between useful technology and useless technology?

With children and teenagers so absorbed in technology and connected to one another online, it is becoming easier for the media to shape our minds. Not to mention we are slowly losing the art of conversation, but I will save that rant for another day. It is scary to think that 52% of children in North America under the age of 8 are using I-Pads, I-pods and other mobile devices. The internet is not censored and children are being exposed to many negative messages and images, subconsciously as well! Kids want to act like what they see on television and begin to think the way things are portrayed on television is the way things are in real life and this is not the case. You know what they say… monkey see, monkey do.  It is our responsibility being as fortunate as we are to live in Canada to take advantage of the opportunities we have and to help others who can’t help themselves. If you were the little one chained to a sewing machine in a sweat shop, I am sure you would hope and pray somebody, anybody, would save you and help fight for you to receive the rights you deserve, like education, health, love and acceptance. Yet, many of us are unable to help others because we ourselves are being attacked by stereotypes and social norms that make us question our own identities and feel insecure about who we are. The media has begun to effect our minds and has succeeded in shaping individuals into cookie cutter consumers. Beauty is not defined, purchasing a specific item of clothing does not change who you are, being yourself is beautiful and since when was it a bad thing to be different? … Just some food for thought.

I actually just came back from a meeting with a friend of mine, Nick Thompson. We met last year at Etobicoke Rotary Club Camp Enterprise, a camp dedicated to assisting children in Etobicoke make a positive changes in their communities by fundraising for a cause they feel passionate about. This is what inspired me today to write about the potential we all have to make a difference, Nick and I had a great conversation of the struggles we face today, others face today and ways we can overcome these obstacles. It all starts with one person, one thought, one action,  and we take baby steps from there to try and lead others to make positive changes in themselves, their communities and ultimately for the planet.

Child labour, a sad and harsh reality... but it is one we can challenge!

My platform this year is encouraging youth to engage in physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Living a clean and healthy lifestyle leads to a clean mind, and a clean mind leads to positive thoughts and actions. Healthy and strong children who are educated in the happenings of the world can help to create the future we need in order to sustain life and improve the living conditions of many people across the Earth. This is why I admire Free the Children, aside from the schools they have built and all of the other wonderful things they have done for developing countries, most importantly, they wish to promote the idea that anybody can make a change and there truly are no boundaries to what you can accomplish. It is truly inspiring… and so I wish to inspire all of you with one of my favourite songs. I am sure many of you will know it, but whether you know it or not, it is always worth a listen.

Click here to listen to one of the greatest songs of our time and feel free to email your own favourite inspirational songs to missteenontarioworld2013@gmail.com.

Be the change you wish to see!

The singers of my fav inspirational song... click to find out what the song is!