BELLSPIRATION CLUB - Michael Clark: Being honest about who you are without pretending is a powerful thing! (Part 1/4)

1) Dear Michael, you are a very special soul to me... But who is really Michael, what does he dream about, what does he like and what does he do? For the readers of the Bellspiration blog, introduce yourself, so we can all get to know you. 

To sum myself up in one answer can be difficult, but I will do my best! I am 25, from Scotland, and I previously lived in Spain (for one year) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (for two years). I speak Spanish and Bosnian fluently, as well as my native English, and I have some basic to moderate levels of French and Russian. I would also love to learn Arabic, and I will soon be studying Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies as a postgraduate masters. My favourite books are mostly of the medieval fantasy genre and I also have many other creative passions such as travel & photography, writing, and music.
In a lot of ways I feel I was born a fairly average person for my country, and I'm very fortunate for the experiences I've had. I think the different cultures I have experienced have allowed me to be much more understanding and made me care even more about people of all varieties. I have had struggles as well in the last few years, and an illness I have been learning to manage since I was diagnosed in January 2020. However, I think that both the good and the bad have made me who I am and I value that. I also have a personal faith in God and this has been an important part of my life and identity, as I believe he created me and loves me, flaws and all.

2) What is "Success" by your definition and how to achieve it?

For me personally, success has never been at the heart of my motives for what I do. I think that success is best achieved when you aren’t looking for it. If your motives are good, and you’re not searching for personal glory and wealth, it is more likely that you will find success and happiness. As far as what that success is, to me, that means having security in who I am, close relationships & people who love me and having the freedom and ability to do what I love. I would love to be able to find a way that I can fulfill my own passions and desires while also helping and serving others who are in need. My age group in today’s world probably suffers from a lack of direction, feeling that we are overqualified but in an economy that makes it hard to get jobs or a house after our studies. This is still something I am working on, but I think if we have motives in everyday life to be kind and loving to others and to have kind and loving people around us, that can make the uncertainty much more manageable. For me especially I place a lot of importance on relationships and having a lot of support, and that is probably more important to my idea of success than some other visible achievements. Of course, I do one day want to get a job I love such as translation or diplomacy, and I have many small hopes for the future. But not all of that is within my control so we will see how it goes.

3) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a member of the Bellspiration Club and for sharing your experiences with us in the coming weeks and inspiring us! What are your expectations from the Bellspiration Club?

I’m very glad and excited to be involved with this! I think for me personally, I learn best from experience; both my own experiences and also those of people around me. I hope that people hearing my stories can relate to me in their struggles, learn new things and also gain motivation to explore the world outside of their own community. Knowing that you’re not alone can be such a powerful motivator, and if my experiences can encourage and inspire others, I would feel really blessed. I also think for me that there is something cathartic about being honest and vulnerable about who I am, and not pretending to be anything other than that. There is so much that needs to be talked about more openly without stigma, and for people to be honest about who they are without pretending is a powerful thing.

4) Follow Michael:

Fb: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelOfRivia26/photos

IG: https://www.instagram.com/michaelofrivia26/

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_1XeuI5iUSsN3z3WRimviQ