Sunday, March 25, 2012

Believe in Yourself: A Pinoy Story




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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