How’s the new year at your end, Is it still snowing where you are, I stepped out recently for a short run, Just 1km, Nothing impressive, The streets were white, Snow had fallen through the night and this isn’t about the run, more about the season.
We’ve just come out of the Christmas season, My first Christmas as a dad, Cheers to those who escaped the UK weather for detty December and my heart is with those who wished they could be with loved ones who are no longer here.
The season gets framed as family time and yes, it can be that, But at its core, it’s the celebration of a legacy, the legacy of a man called Jesus Christ
Hold on, this is not a sermon, Follow me for a moment
If there’s one thing the season reminds us of, it’s the power of identity and self expression, Jesus was deeply rooted in who he was, he knew his message, he knew his assignment and he deployed every medium available to communicate it
He created a tribe and that message outlived him, this isn’t exclusive to Christianity. Every movement begins the same way, With one person who understands their purpose, Knows they won’t be here forever and chooses to live beyond their own needs
Christianity has Jesus Christ
Islam has Prophet Muhammad
Judaism has Moses
Anti apartheid resistance had Nelson Mandela
Reggae and Rastafarian identity has Bob Marley
Civil rights had Martin Luther King Jr
Afrobeats has Fela Anikulapo
These were human beings, Not myths, People like me, Like you, they were called crazy, they were misunderstood, they stayed in their lane and time did the rest
As this year unfolds, I want to challenge you to reflect, not on what you want t8o achieve, but on the core message of your life, It’s not far away, It lives in your deep convictions, in the things that move you, in what you can’t stop thinking about
We are all called to create and when creation is rooted in service, everything changes, your work becomes meaningful, your why becomes bigger and the impact you want to see keeps you going
If you don’t define who you are, the world will do it for you, for its own convenience, you are not everyone, you are different by design, your DNA proves it. Fish thrive in water, Birds dominate the air, stop competing where you don’t belong and start winning where you were created to be
This is the true essence of Elevate Your Style, becoming the best version of you, this was never just about clothes, It’s about the individual in the clothes, your style is rooted in your identity, your identity is your story, your story is where you’ve been, who you are and who you’re becoming
Style is not an arrival
It’s a becoming and that’s why this has never really been about clothing, It’s about elevating all that makes your style.
Michael Okunloro
Founder, Twelve19styles, Convener,
Elevate Your Style Movement
Michael Okunloro | Elevate Your Style 