The longest journey usually begins with one small step...
We know that hope begins from the dark; likewise, each and every problem should be considered as a new opportunity to begin new things. The trick is to believe in yourself and the fact that when one door closes, another one opens. If you can do that, and believe that life is an opportunity, then of course you will enjoy it.
I was raised in a small village in Nepal, and I always thought that I would be lost or never amount to much. But, no, I believed in myself and knew that I wanted to make a name for myself in this world. I made a promise to myself that I would always be there for other people, whom I didn't even know.
This feeling made me strong and I soon learned never to give up on myself, no matter how hard the challenge before me. And everything I've been through all my life has only made me stronger. I am still able to dream, and know that they will one day come true.
This is something that I learned from geniuses, who always look at a problem as an opportunity. In other words, every problem is a solution, because problems always come with solutions. It's just up to us to find them.
When I was a child, I used to go to the jungle with my grandfather to find yams. And while they were not easy to find, my grandfather always used to tell me to keep trying until the last minute. This is the reason why I never give up in life, no matter how hard the circumstance. I always take life as an experience. And to gain new experiences is life.
Then when I moved to New York City at the age of 19, I was introduced to a new kind of struggle, the struggle of survival. Here, everyone has two, sometimes three jobs. This was a lot different from how I used to live back home in Nepal, mostly because I was not used to working there. At first, it was hard for me to work the graveyard shift.
This is when I remembered my father's words, which always told me to accept whatever comes in my life, and keep moving forward no matter how hard the obstacles. He also told me how important having an education was. "Being educated is necessary to analyze a problem and get to the solution," this is what he would say.
I often hear people say that America is the land of opportunity - of course that is true. But, only when one tries to achieve in what they believe in. Life isn't easy here, even more so when you are young and have lofty dreams. I see it constantly. Everybody knows someone who is unable to finish college or hold on to a decent job. People who seem to be constantly undermining both their careers and their personal lives by making stupid choices, and then there are those who don't even bother to make a change or try for what they believe in.
So, how can one believe in themselves? The answer is by accomplishing something- a goal, a plan, something you really want to do. This seems to be so obvious, and surprisingly, entire societies over look it. The only way to ever believe in yourself is by achieving something worthwhile, and the only way in which one can do that is by looking at every problem as a solution.
So, since this is so important, let's break this down, shall we? "Believing in oneself" is merely another way of saying that you believe in your capabilities, and the fact that you have what it takes to tackle a problem head on and be successful. So, if you have never been able to accomplish anything, how can you possibly know what you're true capabilities are? And more importantly, if you've never been able to accomplish anything, then your claim of believing in yourself is false, easily weathered off, and broken by a challenge.
The truth is that all the bravado in the world cannot replace your belief in your skills and capabilities, and the feeling that one gets when they've achieved success. But, that is only possible when you have actually tried. And the only way in which you can build those skills is by trying and failing; this will be tested by your commitment.
So, at its core, your belief stems from your commitment and your abilities, which in turn, can only come from challenging yourself and finding out solutions to problems as they come.
Personally, I always take every problem as a solution. Every situation is a new beginning and brings with it a message from God, along with the way of improvement. When problems come in your lives, it simply means that we need to improve ourselves.
I visit Queens library regularly and read many inspirational books, which helps me think positively. The reason why I'm pushing my life in a positive way is because I believe in myself and that one day I will reach my destination by tackling one micro problem at a time.
You too can do the same. Figure out how to solve these problems and you can add them to your checklist. These will be the micro-successes that prove you the ability to improve and succeed. After all, you've just proved to yourself that you have what it takes to solve that problem. Right
Just keep track of these small victories on paper and see what will happen once you see the list start to pile up.