Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Last month controversy in pop culture surfaced after artist Chris Brown was axed from performing at this year's American Music Awards (AMAs). The R&B star was working on a performance for the show that would pay tribute to Michael Jackson in celebration of the 40th anniversary of his famed Thriller album. Chris' talent and stardom have been highly compared to MJ's and, in recent months, even sparked many debates among fans and critics. The comparisons set the perfect stage (pun intended) for Chris Brown to put on yet another stellar awards show performance to show those who doubt that he shines just as brightly as MJ. Unfortunately, AMA leadership canceled the performance without stating the reason for the last-minute decision.

In a plot twist, Chris' stardom would have doubled viewership for the struggling awards show, which only captured an audience of about 3.3 million viewers, according to digitalmusicnews.com. Last year the AMA audience was only slightly higher at 3.8 million. The recording artist shared a video recording from the performance rehearsal via social media, and it garnered more than 11 million views and counting.

Although it was unfortunate that Chris Brown's talents could not be on display on stage during the AMA's, the reality is that no one can honestly say that he is an incredible talent.

What happened to Chris happens to a lot of us - we are sometimes shunned for being imperfect, gaslit, and sometimes iced out in an attempt to cap our success. What is important to glean from this instance is that you can persevere if you choose to; as you prepare for your new year, make the choice to get up and fight for what you believe in again. There's no one more important to believe in than you.