Creating Your Own Path
How many of you have ever heard the following words from your parents, “Become a Doctor, (feel free to interchange with Lawyer or Engineer for the same effect)!”?
Our generation is definitely starting to see the freedom to pursue career paths that are unconventional to our parents’ or their parents’ generation. When you realize you will ultimately be doing the same job for the rest of your life, you begin to think about what you’re most “passionate” about. Many parents are coming around to the idea that there are many lucrative fields of work for their children to pursue and which they are “passionate” about.
Last week I heard journalist Lisa Ling say that she is often asked to speak at college graduations, and the one thing she feels a lot of students are doing is studying for a career, rather than studying to become a well-rounded person and allowing the career to find you.
Many of us are told to pursue a “stable” career first, and do your “hobby” on the side. Although patterns have shown that Sikhs are probably one of the most entrepreneurial group of people in the world. Our ancestors before us have shown how perseverance of a dream can become a reality. Many of our parents’ generation came to the West with a few dollars, or pounds, in their pocket to begin their new life- and live the American Dream.
Gurinder Chadha made a popular movie about a Sikh girl pursuing an unconventional dream, and the conflict she felt from her parents. Specifically because the father’s character in the movie had experienced the discrimination of not being able to play cricket in England himself, and felt his daughter would face the same obstacles. Ironically, today we see Monty Panesar as the first Sikh to play on the English Cricket Squad. Harbhajan Singh has also made a name for himself with his identity and talent visible “on the field”. One extreme exception is Fauja Singh, who is an inspiration to us all- young and old. He has shown how discipline and hard work pays off, and that it is never too late to begin something life-changing!
Jasvinder Sanghera courageously brought forward issues that many in our community face but do not openly verbalize in her memoir, Shame. There are many people out there who are in the process of penning their first book, and to them this is motivation that anything is possible. By beginning to spread into creative and artistic fields, we are forging a path for the youth and inspiring them to believe in the impossible.
Guy Singh chose to pursue an acting career in similar footsteps of Waris Ahluwalia, whose visibility has already broken boundaries in the Hollywood industry. We have the opportunity to educate people about who a Sikh is, or at least begin to dialogue about our identity. Sikh Park’s creator, Dalbir Singh, has also created a unique avenue of creativity to collaboratively humor and educate individual with his cartoon series which revolves around a Sardarji.
India’s “singhing” competitions this past year gained popularity globally. It was refreshing to see Sikhs portrayed in a positive light and for youngsters to be inspired! In addition, Hard Kaur is gaining recognition for her unique musical ability and presence in the music industry. A less known musical artist is Mandeep Sethi, who is an SF State student and uses rap to express himself.
Sikh journalist Simran Sethi, forged a unique path where she facilitates activism to promote a greener life, encourages sustainable business, and importance of creating a sense of socially conscious living. It would be great to see individuals who are currently in unique fields of work mentor our youth, to pursue what they are truly passionate about and guide them in the direction of success and fulfillment. Ultimately, we need to be true to ourselves thus bringing value to our lives and to the lives of those around us. We can begin to create unity within our community where we encourage one another to dream big!
13 Responses to “Creating Your Own Path”
Creating your own path to what? Reincarnation?
* Look 4 Me (Rishi Rich Mix)
* Sexy Boy
* Move Your Body
* Glassy Remix ft Nivla
HardKaur's tracks – remind you of the lifestyle of a Gursikh??
Creating your own path to what? Reincarnation?
* Look 4 Me (Rishi Rich Mix)
* Sexy Boy
* Move Your Body
* Glassy Remix ft Nivla
HardKaur’s tracks – remind you of the lifestyle of a Gursikh??
a friend recently said something in line with this that I thought was nicely stated: "pick a career like you'd pick a spouse- go for love over money"
a friend recently said something in line with this that I thought was nicely stated: “pick a career like you’d pick a spouse- go for love over money”
The purpose of this post is to encourage people to follow a "career path" that allows them to be unique. Hard Kaur has created a path in which she expresses herself in her own way, that shouldn't make us judgemental of her. Our community is constantly judging others, and that doesn't allow us to form a untiy where we can be happy to see another person find success.
The purpose of this post is to encourage people to follow a “career path” that allows them to be unique. Hard Kaur has created a path in which she expresses herself in her own way, that shouldn’t make us judgemental of her. Our community is constantly judging others, and that doesn’t allow us to form a untiy where we can be happy to see another person find success.
Balwant's post answers the question as to why more Sikhs don't break out of the narrow, judgmental, misogynist, self-righteous, parochial, insular confines of the 'Sikh community' and its prevailing reactionary social policing of individual lives and paths.
Leave them behind and flourish. In the 21st Century the world belongs to you. Leave the medieval feudal honor based pindoo culture behind in the ghetto. Leave the mental and physical ghettoes and flourish.
Balwant’s post answers the question as to why more Sikhs don’t break out of the narrow, judgmental, misogynist, self-righteous, parochial, insular confines of the ‘Sikh community’ and its prevailing reactionary social policing of individual lives and paths.
Leave them behind and flourish. In the 21st Century the world belongs to you. Leave the medieval feudal honor based pindoo culture behind in the ghetto. Leave the mental and physical ghettoes and flourish.
Joolz, do you think that a person using the name Kaur should be promoting alcohol consumption and sexual relations outside of marriage? Do you think that somebody bringing this up is narrow, judgemental, misogynist, self-righteous, parochial, and insular? Most of the stars we listen to grew up in the "ghetto" and the "ghetto" is where culture begins. So if you have something against the "pind" or the "ghetto" you should stop listening to 95% of mainstream hip-hop, pop, r&b or ethnic music because all of those stars started from the ghetto, or their parents did. You make a degrading statement about pinds and ghettos and then call a comment about good morals as being "self righteous?" Check yourself!
Joolz, do you think that a person using the name Kaur should be promoting alcohol consumption and sexual relations outside of marriage? Do you think that somebody bringing this up is narrow, judgemental, misogynist, self-righteous, parochial, and insular? Most of the stars we listen to grew up in the “ghetto” and the “ghetto” is where culture begins. So if you have something against the “pind” or the “ghetto” you should stop listening to 95% of mainstream hip-hop, pop, r&b or ethnic music because all of those stars started from the ghetto, or their parents did. You make a degrading statement about pinds and ghettos and then call a comment about good morals as being “self righteous?” Check yourself!
[…] Ahluwalia, of Inside Man fame and a sort of favorite in The Langar Hall — see here and here — made the following comments: Waris Ahluwalia has been wearing makeup for about ten […]
[…] on many different themes (and there are many – their personal stories, multiculturalism, ‘creating your own path‘ beyond stereotypes, etc), for me, personally, as a young Punjabi Sikh male who grew up […]
[…] occasionally touched upon the choice that today’s youth make in choosing a career or path. Enough of our peers are already in, or heading towards medicine, and no encouragement is needed […]