Living without discovering one's talents and abilities is like selling goods on the street with a luxury Mercedes car. There is no one who doesn't have a special talent. There are people who haven't found their potential. Every person is unique and has their own special abilities. Each person has been given the lead role in their own life, but unfortunately, billions of people settle for being extras in someone else's lead role. Billions of people go through life without realizing their talents. Influenced by family, neighborhood, and school environments, billions of people don't dare step outside the confines of phrases like "You can't do it" and "You'll never amount to anything."
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Billions of people condemn themselves to a life of poverty without even using a fraction of their potential. However, those who discover their capacity and know how to utilize it make the world and themselves better. These are the people who take the lead role in their own lives instead of playing bit parts in others' lives. One of them shared his story on the social media platform LinkedIn:
"One day, as I was leaving a coffee shop, I had the idea of drawing on paper cups and selling them to travel the world. I chose paper cups because they are widely used and easy to carry. I started with 12 cups. I wrote on a piece of cardboard, 'I'm selling cups I've drawn on to travel the world. Would you like to support me?' I sold 7 cups and bought a round-trip ticket to Macedonia. I began creating content on social media under the name 'seyyahart,' reflecting my dream and my art. This allowed me to travel to 29 countries through my drawings. Over time, I started drawing on different surfaces besides cups. I drew on thousands of cups, hundreds of thermoses, and many other surfaces. Drawing in various places around the world became the meaning of my life. Whatever it is that you love, if it adds meaning to your life, don't give up on it. Even if it's just a disposable cup."
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I know someone who barely finished high school, pushed by his parents. He graduated, but he lost his self-confidence. After returning from military service, his parents got him married and he started working as a laborer in a small business near their home. I kept in touch from afar. That kid who struggled to finish high school quickly became a master at the business. After a while, he became one of the managers. When the business went bankrupt during an economic crisis, he was left unemployed. But he had discovered his potential and gained confidence in himself. He started taking on whatever job he could find. He was capable of doing anything: painting, plastering, walls, roofs, electrical and plumbing installations, gardening. When I heard he was fixing televisions, I wasn't surprised. He hadn't received formal training for any of these, but he took on whatever work was available and did it skillfully, earning money. By the age of 50, he had found himself.
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The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), the world's leading forum for dried and shelled fruits, conducted a comprehensive study focusing on Gen Z's dietary preferences, particularly their consumption of nuts and dried fruits. The most consumed nuts by Gen Z are peanuts, almonds, and walnuts, followed by cashews, hazelnuts, and pistachios. In dried fruits, raisins, dried cranberries, and prunes are the favorites. Known as the "snack generation," 96% of Gen Z reported consuming snacks between meals, preferring yogurt, dairy products, and fresh fruits. If this research had been conducted on our Gen Z, we would have been very pleased, but unfortunately, it wasn't. The INC's research was conducted in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. In these four countries, Gen Z primarily consumes peanuts (99%), almonds (97%), and walnuts (94%). Our Gen Z doesn't eat any of these. Most of the products they prefer are processed and packaged foods. To protect the country's future generations, we urgently need to steer Gen Z, who are fed with expensive and unhealthy foods, towards healthy snacks. This is a national issue.
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Could the divine wisdom behind the bullet that pierced US presidential candidate Trump's ear be to "Stop the child-killing Israel, hear the atrocities in Gaza"? Trump's wounded ear represents the ears of all politicians and businessmen who don't hear Gaza's cries. Stop this genocide now.
