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So lately I've been obsessed with Pericope. It's such a great tool to catch webinars, quick facts and a different way to interact with people. If I'm not on SnapChat capturing #CookingWithVina than you can catch me on Periscope watching either: Maya Elious, Mattieologie, Mariah Coz of Femtrepreneur or the infamous Regina of ByRegina.com.

On Monday, Regina talked about a particular list of podcasts put out by company with the title : 12 Inspirational Podcasts For Every Entrepreneur. As you scroll this list, you realize there are no minority podcasters on there and no women. Even though I listen to some of those podcasts on that list (and they are amazing by the way) you mean to tell me that out of THOUSANDS of podcasts devoted to Business, Career and Entrepreneurship that only these 12 white men are worth listening to? You mean to tell me that podcasts like MyTaughtYou, The Lively Show and Glambition by Ali Brown aren't worth a listen? A mention? Because dope women like Myleik and Jess Lively are not on that list, to me, their absence made the list irrelevant.

Though I'm using the example of the list of podcasts that Regina showed us, "the list" isn't limited to the world of podcasts. "The List" is a standard set by someone else in an attempt to either define who we are, assign value to our lives or label us in categories. Some great examples of everyday "lists":

The Culture List: "In order to be successful by 30 you need to have done XYZ."
The Family and Friends List: "Follow this path to be accepted."
The Social List: "If you're social media isn't popping, you're not popping."

I love this quote that Regina said : "Be conscious of the times you need to make the list. And be conscious of the times you need to make the list irrelevant." I personally hope that you choose the latter. Forget that list! Become so dope in who YOU are that "the list" becomes irrelevant if you're not on it. Who created the list anyway and what authority over your life do they have to define who you are and the value that you bring?

It's human nature to want to be the Best of the Best, but who determines who or what the best is? Friends? Family? Society? Know that YOU (yes, you reading this post) had a purpose before ANYONE else had an opinion. YOU have a life that only YOU could uniquely live and a path that only YOU could follow; so because everyone's life is different, understand that your life may not fit the guidelines of "The List" because it was never designed to anyways. Understand that by doing you, you make the list irrelevant. When you're in your own lane, the list doesn't even matter to you, because YOU'VE made it irrelevant. You're so dope that the list doesn't matter if you're not on it!

Eff that list.

Eff The List!