NEWSToby Smiles–A Message of Resilience and Hope With 2M Spotify Streams
Nov. 15 2024, Published 1:00 a.m. ET
Toby Smiles is a very popular TikTok star, social media influencer, disability advocate, and Spotify music artist. His goal is to inspire people with and without disabilities to reach for their dreams
“My content brings positivity and shows my fans that anyone can live their dreams, regardless of challenges,” Smiles says.
With 1.5 million followers on TikTok, Toby has achieved success as an influencer that many aspire to. Additionally, Smiles has 2 million streams on Spotify across all his songs, which many music artists certainly hope to one day accomplish. And not only that; he has reached these major career milestones while living with cerebral palsy.
Leading by Example
From the very start of his career, Smiles was determined to show others that having a disability doesn’t define you. He had to overcome his own challenges, including dealing with society’s perception of him.
“I wanted to use social media to break down barriers and remind people that we’re all just human,” Smiles explains.
Smiles embraced social media as the perfect outlet to connect with others and to share his personal journey. Among his videos on TikTok are educational ones about his disability, but he also shares simple things like his outfit of the day or his daily adventures. His sense of humor and natural charisma shine through the camera lens. It’s important to Smiles that his videos “show people that resilience, joy, and humor matter more than labels.”
But Smiles doesn’t just show the brighter side of his life. Recently, he’s been honest about his struggle with his mental health.
“Staying positive isn’t always easy, and sometimes your own mind can be your biggest obstacle. I work through these moments by surrounding myself with a supportive community, being open about my struggles, and focusing on the things I love,” he explains.
When Smiles posted the first video about his mental health struggle, he dreaded a backlash. Instead, he received overwhelming support from his viewers. The lesson he learned from the experience is that people appreciated his authenticity. The vulnerability and honesty he displayed in the video touched a chord with his audience.
Sharing hope amid difficulties is an important part of his message, which makes the videos of his personal journey so powerful.
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Daring to Dream and Inspire
Smiles doesn’t want his audience to feel bad for him. He doesn’t consider what he does “token inspiration.” He also doesn’t want people to pity him.
“I’m here to show that disability is irrelevant when it comes to chasing your dreams,” Smiles says.
Smiles understands his perspective is unique and hopes people see that he has found a way to use the challenges he faces as strengths. He refuses to be limited by his disability and wants others to see him as just another person pursuing his dreams and going after what he loves.
Hope and Resilience
Hope and resilience are words that Smiles uses often. It’s important to him that young people recognize that they don’t have to be limited by disability or mental health issues. He wants them to find self-acceptance, and recognize that they are more capable than they think.Through his videos and music, he hopes he inspires them to keep reaching for the things they want to accomplish.
“My biggest message is resilience. I want people to understand that you don’t have to be ‘perfect’ to be valuable or successful. Showing up as you are is enough, and caring for others along the way makes a real difference,” Smiles says.
