Through Young Eyes

I have a passion, a fire inside of me that sometimes burns so hot I feel as though I could implode. This passion completely and utterly drives me toward my goals - what I hope to achieve, and at times it also frustrates me beyond belief. My heart aches with all the people I would like to help, the places I want to go and the dreams I want to see become a reality. Others at times look at my life and remark that I have already achieved so much, but in my head, in the big picture for me, there is still so much more to achieve. This understanding is simultaneously scary and exhilarating. My aim each and every day is to do everything I can to work towards my current goals. However, there is always something more that can be done. There is always one more person I can email, one more job I can apply for and one more phone call I can make. We live in an era of endless opportunities, but knowing where to start can seem overwhelming. It saddens me to hear friends say that they cannot achieve their goals or desires because they are ‘too busy’. We all always make time for what we view as the most important people and activities in our lives. So, saying you are ‘too busy’ is a modern day mask, which is really saying you or that are not a high enough priority for me right now. The thing is, if you want something so bad, if there is a passion and a fire inside of you, nothing will stop you from getting to where you would like to be. Disappointment is inevitable, however don’t be tempted to blame others. We all need to take responsibility for our own lives, actions and decisions. We all have setbacks and hurdles to overcome, however it is not hard to find examples of people who have had their fair share of difficulty and yet despite this (or because of it) have gone on to succeed in their chosen field and inspired many along the way. Two that came to mind are Bethany Hamilton and Nick Vujicic. Bethany Hamilton lost her arm to a shark as a child. After a lengthy recovery she faced her fears and got back into the water and not only that, has achieved great success in the world of surfing. Bethany married and is now with her husband raising their son. Her story has been recounted in the book Soul Surfer which has also more recently been made into a movie. Nick Vujicic was born without any limbs and yet he is one of the most inspiring and positive people I have ever read about. He is married, is a father and travels around the world speaking to children, youth and adults about how he has found the strength to conquer despite his physical limitations. One thing that struck me from his story is that “you can’t get yourself anywhere by saying you wish you had the things that you didn’t, but you instead need to change your perception and look at the things you do have.” Both Bethany and Nick have faced many more difficulties than most of us could ever imagine and yet they have shown that with focus, determination and a positive mindset they have been able to achieve far more than possibly they had ever imagined. These characteristics will make any living body unstoppable, no matter how many times you get knocked down and no matter how many times people tell you that you can’t do something. Just keep dusting yourself off and then remind yourself that anything really is possible. We all face our own personal bumps along the road be it a disability, emotional or physical abuse, the country in which we happen to be born or even the colour of our skin. These things happen outside of our control. What we can control however is how we react to these things. In every difficult situation we have the opportunity to either allow ourselves to be defeated or to rise above. Rising above will look very different for each of us. I strongly believe that there is great value in setting small, medium and large goals because without something to aim for each day our lives become dull and mundane and we allow time to be frittered away in meaningless activities. Take home message: 1. Each day aim to become a slightly better version of yourself. 2. Our best learning can come from reflecting on our failures and rejections. 3. Don’t let fear stop you from trying something new. “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.” - Suzy Kassem 4. Always be open to learning and meeting new people, for this is what makes our lives rich.