It’s already past seven in the morning and the sky is bright
and clear. Here in my favorite coffee shop, I sat in silence watching the world
outside. Thanks to the air conditioning, I am not experiencing the warm summer
as much. With my favorite coffee latte at hand, I welcomed the new day with a
smile. I haven’t slept yet, but I am nowhere near sleepy. I picked the book
that kept me awake all night, it is a story about a young boy who believed in
himself and went through a lot in his life. It probably is a common story, a
protagonist overcoming all obstacles and winning in the end. But I just can’t
help myself from thinking how much believing in your self can make a
difference.
When things are not going the way we hope it would go, we
tend to doubt ourselves and everything around us. This is a natural reaction,
but not necessarily the right way of reacting to the situation. A few hours
ago, I overheard two friends talking at a nearby table. One was an OFW and she
was sharing to her friend what her life was in another country. Forgive me for
snooping, but I just admired her story. She said that when she arrived there,
she was both hopeful and afraid. It was her first time to travel and she didn’t
know what to expect. She was young and she was so afraid that she feels she
would always make a mistake. And guess what, she always did.
She is working at
a hotel restaurant and she kept on making mistakes – spilling a drink to a
customer, breaking a plate or two, slipping while holding a plate of food,
until finally, before she loses her job, she decided to give it her best, her
last shot. She was really good at what she does but she does not believe that.
She said she felt discriminated sometimes, or that she sees other people, other
races, is better than her. Then, when her superior told her that she would be
fired if ever she made another mistake, she just shifted her focus. Instead of
telling herself that she is not good enough, she told herself that she will
become better and that she is improving every day. It was hard, but she did it
for her family back home. She started believing in herself. Within months, she
was promoted.
It is difficult to believe in our own capacity when life
seems to give the worst to us. But here, where I sit, I can see that life
happens for a reason, but it is in our ability to adapt to those circumstances
that distinguishes us from the rest. Believe in yourself, you have the ability
to be great.
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