Society constantly refers to our generation as the ‘lost generation’ for a number of reasons. We are often reprimanded for our disobedience. We are crucified for our lack of manners and respect for our elders. Our parents severely criticise our efforts in trying to accomplish tasks -some as simple as house chores or other given tasks- maybe because our approach and timing in accomplishing these tasks differs drastically from their approach.  Dare and try reason with an elder and you are done- immediately labelled as unruly and disrespectful.

I find it frustrating that we are often dismissed by society and then they have the audacity to call us the ‘lost generation.’ What our parents fail to understand, is that our generation is not like theirs. We are the twitter and Facebook generation- a generation that relies heavily on expressing our opinion. We are the generation of “ITunes” and “To – do list”- a generation that schedules dates with friends, lovers and other activities- meticulously I must add.

The reason I am constantly at war with my parents and society is their lack of listening. They hear me but they do not listen to what I have to say- my thoughts; goals or plans. They assume that they know what is best for me without asking what I think. They schedule plans without consulting me or asking if I will be able to do it- they decide what is best without my input. More often than not, they just waltz into my room each morning- give me a detailed list of tasks I must do and when I must do them. Why they couldn’t give me the list the night before baffles me. This way, I can include the tasks in my “to- do list” and still have time for my own tasks.

Parents often wonder why we rebel and act in ways they cannot understand – they then blame it our moral decay and the ‘lost generation’. They often ask why we deliberately break rules and throw tantrums. We have a voice- so do not just hear but actually listen. We have a brain- do not treat us like robots and issue commands- engage our minds and see our potential. We have opinions and ideas- do not dismiss us, listen and consider our suggestions.

According to Susie Michelle Cortright, here are 10 Tips to Effective & Active Listening Skills you can learn and share with your parents. Cortright writes and says “Listening skills fuel our social, emotional and professional success, and studies have proven that listening is a skill we can learn.”  Cortright goes on and lists tips on how to listen effectively as listed below

1.    Face the speaker- sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show you attentiveness through body language.

2.    Maintain eye contact, to the degree that you all remain comfortable.

3.    Minimize external distractions. Turn off the TV- Put down your books or magazines and ask the speaker and other listeners to do the same.

4.    Respond Appropriately to show that you understand. Murmur (“uh-huh” and um-hmm” and nod). Raise your eyebrows. Say words such as “Really”, Interesting as well as a more direct prompts: What did you do then? And what did she say?

5.    Focus solely on what the speaker is saying.  Try not to think about what you are going to say next. The conversation will follow a logic flow after the speaker makes her point.

6.    Minimize internal distractions. If your own thoughts keep horning in, simply let them go and continuously refocus your attention on the speaker, as much as you would during meditation.

7.    Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding that you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking.

8.    Avoid letting the speaker know you handled a similar situation. Unless they specifically ask for advice, assume they just need to talk it out.

9.    Even if the speaker is launching a complaint against you, wait until they finish to defend yourself. The speaker will feel as though their point had been made. They won’t feel the need to repeat it, and you’ll know the whole argument before you respond. Research shows that, on average, we can hear four times faster than we can speak, so we have the ability to sort ideas as they come in... And be ready for more to come.

10.  Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but once again, wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their train of thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying...” (iamnext.com:powerchange.com/students/people/listen)

We are not the ‘lost generation’- we are a different generation. Show us respect and we will value yours. Talk to us and understand us and we will be tweet more favourable things about you.  Hear us and we will cooperate and help in making life more pleasant.

 

Young and vibrant!!! An inspiration to many

Interview By Bophelo Kanetsi

Having set down with this young fellow for lunch, I truly felt motivated!! Tokiso Nthebe, an inspiring motivational speaker already on his way to publishing a book.

This mafeteng born gentleman is currently a student at university of Pretoria. He discovered in his teens he has a unique ability to inspire other people.  Sitting in a busy restaurant, Tokiso, otherwise known as T.K, spoke flamboyantly and above the noise. ‘People always said to me they feel better after speaking to me, when going through a difficult time. This is when I decided to reach out to more people and inspire the masses.’

So where did all this start? After a short pause to take a sip of his drink, he revealed that starting out was not necessarily difficult, as organizing talks does not require startup capital, just the right marketing.  He started by informing friends and acquaintances about his seminar. He therefore gathered material from several books he had read; his own life experiences and put together a PowerPoint presentation to be presented at his former primary school, in Wepener.

He retold the story as if was yesterday. He had targeted Grades 11 and 12’s, but mostly matric students that would be writing their exams soon. His talk seemed to have been effective as it drove several people to tears. It was then that he knew that this was his passion and a potentially lucrative business.

From there on, it has been talks for fellow students at the University of Pretoria.  “I attended seminars of other well known public and motivational speakers, so to improve on my own presentations. I added exercises as well, to make a better and longer lasting effect on a person.

He further went on to explain that in order to be successful in the future, he had to receive feedback from his audience. So every talk would be followed by a questionnaire. The audience rates him and suggests ways in which he could improve. With this information, T.K planned and executed bigger better talks. One memorable one ….he said, was the event at NUL. He prepared well as he knew this would be a difficult audience. To this surprise, they were fully attentive and willing to participate.

He is now a member of the Professional Speakers Association in South Africa, what is this twenty two year old planning for the future? Quite ambitious, I gathered. Among many of his big dreams for Lesotho, one that he feels could be the beneficial to Basotho is to create a platform that empowers the youth. ‘I feel that there isn’t really good career guidance in high schools, that people just study what is available, what is sponsored, what their parents are familiar with and not necessarily what they are good at. He is doing what he’s passionate about and it gives him such great pleasure, why not teach others to do the same. Tokiso further wants to partner with organizations such as SIFE to help young entrepreneurs build up successful business.

After this brief meeting with Mr. Nthebe I truly felt inspired. I had something to take home as well. He encouraged me to read, to read motivational books such as the Secret that help individuals to fully reach their potential. “The more you read, the better you can write, and the better you can speak. So T.K we truly look forward to your next public speaking event…….

LETTER TO LESOTHO

Dear Lesotho

You gave birth to a star- a star with so much potential. You’ve encouraged me to take a leap of faith and exceed my expectations.  You threw me in the deep end and forced me to learn how to swim.  You taught me how to fight for my dreams- how to take responsibility for my life. Your love for me- gave me the gift of education. You’ve valued me enough and gave me a chance to be a better person. Because of you, I acquired new knowledge. Because of you, I learnt how to grab opportunities with both hands. Because of you- I am who I am today: ambitious- resilient- educated.

For years I had nothing positive to say about you. I turned a blind eye to the love you’ve shown me over the years. I was quick to judge you- pin pointing your ALL flaws. I criticised you for your mistakes- however big or small. I never said “well done” to the goals you’ve achieved. I never said thank you for the opportunities you’ve given me, instead I blamed you for those you didn’t give me.

I am sorry for being unappreciative. I am sorry for not loving you the way you deserve to be loved.  I am sorry for never saying thank you. I am sorry for not appreciating you for who you are.

The time for us to love our country is here. It is time we stop complaining about our country’s flaws and start becoming contributions. It is time we stop criticising its mistakes and offer suggestions that will move us forward. It is time we stop comparing this country to other countries and start creating opportunities that will change our future.  All our complaining is not going to bring change.

Let us become the change we want to see in our country.

Yours Sincerely

Tokiso

What Will Matter by Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collect, where treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.  Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too your hopes, ambitions, plans, to do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end. It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success but you significance. What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character. What will matter is not how many people knew you but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone. What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.

CLASS OF 2011

It seemed like just yesterday when I walked into my first Honours lecture- nervous of what to expect; excited by the prospects of a new chance to learn. I was a little concerned by rumours I had heard from former students- the “apparently” overwhelming workload; the difficulty of this degree and the tough times that I was to face.  I convinced myself that Winston Churchill had to be right when he said; “It is not enough that we do our best- sometimes we have to what is required.”

The rumours began to materialize sooner rather than later. The workload was overwhelming; the difficulty of the degree began to surface; the tough times seemed like they were here to stay- Honours 2011 was in full swing.

We suffered the wrath of the lecturer’s high standards. We faced disappointing results after many tests. We became experts at handling tight deadlines- adverse working conditions and sleep deprivation, but the goal kept us going.

It is now 11 months later and we made it through 2011’s hardships. We’ve conquered it- grew stronger and learnt valuable life lessons i.e. perseverance, commitment and resilience. Our setbacks taught us to pursue our goals and our accomplishments taught us to work even harder for what we want to achieve. We made no excuses for our failures. We blamed no one for our setbacks. Instead we preserved and tried again and again.

“Excuses won’t do it. Commitment, and the focused, persistent action to back it up, are what will get you there” Ralph Marston

If 2011 has been a disappointment; learn from your mistakes. If your goals didn’t materialize, focus on getting them right next time. If you felt like giving up or doing nothing- procrastination will not produce results- get up, act and take responsibility.

I raise a glass to the“Class of 2011”.....

Your hard work has paid off- be proud.

 Your goals materialised- set new and bigger ones.

You have become stronger, smarter and resilient individuals- learn more each day and conquer.

Smile. Laugh. Live

FEAR… AND FIREWORKS

There is a crippling feeling that is eating away inside of me… with each second; the pain gets stronger and unbearable. With each passing day, the worry grows bigger, leaving me anxious and frustrated. There is a crippling feeling haunting my heart, robbing me of my ambitious. A feeling so cruel, that I inevitably doubt myself.  A feeling so dangerous, that I lose faith in my own strength. The nights are the worst… I jolt out of my bed with each crackling sound. The shades that surround my room remind me of my failures, flaws and lack to talent. The screeching sound of the banging door makes me want to jump out of my skin. I am afraid… I am overwhelmed by fear.

I feel like I can never overcome it. I feel like I am not strong enough to fight it; the doubt; the nightmares; the low self esteem. How did I get myself in this situation?

My journey as a post graduate student has been surrounded by nothing more than fear and uncertainty. Fear of failure; anxiety and doubt. Fear of lack of understanding. Each passing day increases the stress and frustration. Each passing day drags my fear on and on.

 Why do I doubt myself like this? Why torture myself like this?

Katty Perry’s “Fire work” track has been my bridge to survival.  I’ve imagined myself as a firework.  A firework that has hidden potential…Creativity… art work… drive. A firework, that has a spark waiting to be ignited, showing off its burst of colours.

 I remind myself that after a hurricane comes a rainbow…radiating with bright colours. That there is a door in my life, waiting to be opened, opened to endless opportunities. I remind myself that like a fire bolt, my heart will blow… exploding with dreams.

Life is hard irrespective of where you are and what you are doing. And fear is there to create doubt, anxiety and worry.  But like a firework, we should ignite our sparks and unleash the potential. Like a thunder bolt, we should allow our dreams to explode. And like doors, we should open our hearts and embrace opportunities.

“Teach ability is an attitude, a mindset that says ‘no matter how much I know, or think I know, I can learn from this situation. That kind of thinking can help you turn adversity into advantage. It can make you a winner even during the most difficult circumstances.” (Source thinking for a change- J Maxwell)

So go on… become a firework and leave no room for fear to manifest in your life… let your colours burst. Let them see your worth.

 

OPPORTUNITES

For a greater part of my life I was convinced that my life was clearly mapped out. I would complete my undergraduate degree; pursue my Post graduate degree and work in a fancy company. My office would be furnished with state of the art furnishings- a view that inspired creativity and productivity; the passages would be beautifully decorated with art work that evoked emotions never felt and lastly the cup of coffee that would revitalise my overworked body.

I imagined my life in an environment so competitive that sleep would be luxury- the kind of life where the only things that mattered would be your values; work ethic and the level of productivity. This was a dream of the corporate world- where people constantly stretch themselves to achieve higher returns; better titles; better salaries. I focused so much effort into making this kind of life a reality. I strongly believed that my destiny was crafted in this kind of environment; with these kind of objectives; this kind of salaries

I become frustrated by the number of rejections I received from numerous corporate companies I had applied for. With each rejection e-mail, I saw my dream of the corporate life drift further away and my frustration quickly spiralling out of control. It didn’t make sense as to why achieving this dream was so impossible. It didn’t make sense why something so good was so hard to find.

Sometimes in life- we chase after dreams that were never meant for us. We chase after opportunities that were never meant for our lives. We make the mistake of investing immeasurable effort into an attempt that would fail because it was never aligned to our futures and thus, we miss out on great opportunities that lie in front of us.

I have recently woken up to a new dream; a life that is clearly mapped out; that is aligned to my purpose- my future. I would complete my undergraduate degree; pursue my Honours; complete my Masters and eventually my Doctorate.  My office would be furnished with state of the art furnishings- a view that inspired growth; development and education. The passages would be filled with legends that contributed to the world’s education and would invoke hunger for continuous learning and lastly, the cup of coffee that would revitalise; stimulate and educate my brain. I realised that I was never meant to be in the corporate environment but instead in Academia.

Are you chasing after opportunities that are meant for you? Are you investing effort into something that will succeed?

Let us stop wasting precious time pursuing opportunities that were never meant for our lives; instead focus on finding out what your purpose in life is and chasing after those opportunities.

Smile. Laugh. Live

.

ACCEPTANCE

We often feel entitled to certain things in our lives; whether it is a particular job, destination or degree. We believe that our efforts should be acknowledged- that our time spent in preparation to accomplish these projects should be reflected in the final reward. It seems only fair that we receive our share of the bigger pie and rightfully so.

We all know that hard work always pays off; that what we put in is what we get out. But what if the input is not meant to produce a certain output?

A greater part of my life is currently spent applying for jobs for next year – and with each application I learn a new lesson. I believed that because I have a degree that I was entitled to any job; that companies would be fighting over me; that maybe they would beg me to join them, but soon realised that  this was a little too optimistic. And as some companies began rejecting my applications for different reasons- I realised that the input doesn’t necessarily produce a desired output.

A lot of graduates are going through a similar process. Most of them share similar perceptions, ideas and beliefs about job hunting. We feel a sense of entitlement and believe that our efforts must be acknowledged. We feel valuable and expect companies to move mountains for us- to fight over us and to give us the salaries we deserve. And why shouldn’t we? We’ve earned the degrees.

 Life has various ways of teaching us different lessons. These lessons come wrapped up in different experiences, rejection e-mails and sometimes just in black and white. Our lives are complicated by tough times; times that change us. We are often required to break free from what is familiar to us. We are often thrown in the deep end and expected to swim upstream- only to be rejected.

 But why do we perceive rejection from companies as negative or a personal attack? The lesson to be learnt is that you were never meant to work there; that your dreams were not aligned with the company’s. It is therefore up to us to get up and get back in the game.

Do not allow rejection to get you down...!!

DEFINE ME

We live in a world where people think they have earned the right to define us- to decide where we belong; who we should surround ourselves with and whom not to. Our societies have defined what kind of dreams we are allowed to pursue; what kind of jobs are acceptable.

Our communities; organizations and institutions also think they have earned the right to decide who is good enough and who is not. Who will be successful and who will not. It is no longer about quality or integrity. It is no longer about giving people a chance to prove their worth. We live in a world where we shoot down people- their dreams- their being.

We are all guilty of this- we are too quick to tell someone they are not worthy enough for our company. We are too quick to stereotype, categorize and isolate people based on our definitions.  We have suddenly become experts on fortune telling- deciding who is most likely to succeed and who won’t.

We destroy instead of building- we criticize instead of teaching. We are often reluctant to give second chances- instead we develop a list of definitions to label and categorize people. We allow our definitions to decide people’s journeys in life.  We are often to blind sighted by these definitions, and thus refuse to see people in a different light. We keep them prisoners; bounded by our limitations.

Who are we to define people? Who are we to limit people to our definitions?

Carolyne Newberger said “you never know where a person may go; so always encourage the journey.”

It is time we let go of these limitations. It is time to stop painting people with the same brush- the same colour- the same design. What gives you the right?

END GOAL

What once seemed a far away dream; a far away finish line- suddenly lies at an arm’s reach. The months of our hard work-slaving away, that didn’t seem to pay off- the challenges that seemed impossible to overcome are slowly becoming irrelevant. But the closer the dream draws to us – the more challenging the fight becomes.

The play field suddenly transforms into a battle field- where the ultimate goal is survival. Mistakes that were once forgiven- now become significant losses. It is no longer about passing and moving on- it is no longer about just learning to forget.  The rules of the game have changed- it is no longer enough to do what is required.

So what is expected of us?

A lot of my colleagues are faced with immerse pressure. We are fighting hard to get our Honors degrees- to get into the best graduate programs and enjoy what is our last university experience. The modules seem to demand more and more of us. The lecturers expect us to deliver the highest quality in terms of our work. And the competition for graduate programs seems to increase with each application. The pressure continues to increase. How does one keep going? How does one keep focused? How do you maintain the balance?

Ralph Marston quotes ‘”Keep going, and allow your efforts to build upon one another. Keep going, and transform the disappointments into achievements”

I have learnt to take the pressure one day at a time. To let go of the things I have no control over. With each disappointment, I try to find the silver lining and learn from it. If I dwell on the negative things- on what could have been, the more time I waste for things I could have achieved. Instead of complaining about the difficulty of the chapter- I focus on what value I can derive from it- that would make me a better opponent. Instead of complaining about the rejection from a graduate program- I pick myself up and try finding a better company to apply to.

It is up to us to keep going as Marston advices- to keep working hard. It may seem like this semester is impossible to get through, but the end goal will be worth it. There will be a pay off at the end of the finish line- so go on…. Fight for you degree!

Get up, get inspired, get moving and get involved in making a positive difference. This is your moment to come fully to life. Ralph Marston

LABELS

Louis Vutton; Dolce and Gabanna; Gucci; Valentino; Armani; Levis; Guess, Diesel; True Religion, Nike, Puma, Addidas, Reebok. We define ourselves by material things. We define our world with specific brands. Our world is characterized by titles behind our names. Our worlds are separated by labels that define our social class, our personalities and our characters.

Lawyer; Accountant; Doctor; Banker: Plumber: Nurse and nanny. We look down on our own kind based on their careers. We associate ourselves with certain people because of the status they have. We are blinded by the profession of a person rather than the heart they have. We are fascinated by the car a person drives or their holiday destination rather than the type of man or woman he or she is.

Black; White; Chinese; Zimbabwean; heterosexual; bisexual; homosexual… We hate without thinking. We kill without compassion. We label… we ignore… we inflict pain simply because of a label. Our world is defined by where we come from, and who we know. The service you receive is based on the title you have. The attention you attract depends on what you wear- who you are with and where we live.

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we looked beyond the race of a person? Wouldn’t there be more peace and harmony if it did not matter where we came from? Wouldn’t there  be less hatred if we took the time to know the person rather than their sexual preference? Wouldn’t our world have more understanding if we stopped to listen, to appreciate and to respect different cultures, religions, beliefs?

A label is simple but the implications are severe. A label sets to differentiate –tearing apart societies. A label serves as a bench mark- a measure for success- an association… but what good does having standards have when we look down on people- undermine others because of their title or profession? A label restates class and sophistication- but what is the purpose if people die brutally at the expense of social class and background?

We are human- each a unique and special brand. Why do we go on to label each other beyond the boundaries of our last names? Why can’t we choose to limit the label to just “Smith”; “Ferguson” or “Martin”…?

EXAMS

The cold winter chill is upon us and we all dig deeply into our closets for warmer items. We fill our thermal mugs with coffee, hot chocolate and tea to fight the frost bit. We create our own catwalk and strut our way to campus in our boots, scarves and beanies. This is what we call winter couture and it is amazing.

Sadly many of us strut our way to the library to do the ever so daunting task of studying for exams.  And more often than not, we are consumed with panic, stress and are deprived of sleep. It all seems so unfair. It all seems so difficult. It all seems so impossible.

Exams have a way of bringing out the worst in us. The stress and the overwhelming workload can terrify us to a point of break down. The fear of failing, the pressure of getting that distinction can wear us out completely. So how do we stay motivated? How do we keep going?

For me, exams are a journey… not necessarily smooth sailing but it’s a journey nonetheless. It is in my best interest to make this journey as pleasant as possible. It all starts with my attitude.

John Maxwell said; “ teach ability is an attitude, a mindset that say no matter how much I know or think I know, I can learn from this situation.”

I do not see exams as torture or unbearable. My reason for being here is to learn, to learn as much as I can. So I view exams as an opportunity to learn and empower myself. It is an opportunity to reflect on how well I have done or how much I can still learn. Through this, I change the negative stress into confidence to excel.

John Maxwell further continues by saying; “this kind of thinking can help you turn adversity into advantage. It can make you a winner even during the most difficult circumstances. “

As terrible as exams seem, it is entirely up to me to make them bearable. I make them bearable by dreaming big… I set targets that I want to achieve and draw motivation from the targets. When you have a goal to strive towards, you are more motivated to work harder to achieve the goal. 

And lastly, I look in the mirror each morning and remind myself that I am a winner, that I am the best and that I was born to succeed. This helps with the confidence levels which can help a lot when it seems like you know absolutely nothing.

How you approach exams can result in a break down or a break through. The choice is yours. Choose to be a winner- choose the distinction and not the 50%- choose to succeed and be the best!

All the best!

FALLING….

All too often we trip, stumble over and lie on the dusty and harsh sidewalk. The humiliation of getting up, the anticipated stares and burst of laughter to follow is traumatizing. As if the fall was not embarrassing enough, we have to get up, clean ourselves and pretend like nothing happened. Some of us stumble off staircases, others simply over an uneven pathway.  The humiliation is all the same despite the type of fall you endure.

I’ve seen an alarming number of my friends falling… sinking… and drowning.  A large number of these friends are drowning in Graduate Programmes that don’t serve their expectations; some facing emotional break downs over failed relationships and others simply fighting a losing battle with their academics and as if things were not bad enough, the year is pacing towards the end with not a single goal in arm’s reach.

When faced with such falls, getting up, brushing off the dust and being on your way is not as easy as 1 2 3. It is harder keeping your eye on the end goal. It is almost impossible to keep the smile of optimism when nothing seems to be going well. But it is in our nature to keep ourselves going, pacing towards those very goals we have set for ourselves.

I recently heard a “week’s changing line” from an old movie, A Maid in Manhattan. It inspired me to share my sentiments about falling because it is inevitable not to fall in life. Every single person goes through a period of falling and what made this movie memorable is when they said: “What we do does not define who we are ... what defines us is how we rise after we have fallen”

I learnt that despite what we face in life, irrespective of how big or small, it is how we rise after the fall that defines our character,  that which determines who we are. It is the ability to admit that you have fallen and asking for a helping hand. It is overcoming your ego that will make room for better opportunities in life. It is accepting the pain, dealing with it and moving on.

So if you are suffering from a failed relationship... get up and try again. If you are depressed over that test that did not go as well as you’d hoped, get up and study for the exams. If you are in that job that brings you unhappiness... embrace that you have a job and learn as much as you can...

Falling will wound you, but healing will come sooner than you anticipate. And when it does... you need to be ready to get up and be on your way...

STUCK

It is 8: 15pm and here I sit... no drop of motivation... no thread of hope... looking at the computer screen. It feels like I’ve spent my entire life here, doing the same thing each morning. The room is furnished with just a bed, bar fridge and a study desk. The text books pile on my desk, creating a barrier to what seems a bright future. I cannot help realise that there a world out there... a future, and here I am... sitting and waiting.

I’ve been told that some people wait for things to happen; others watch as things happen and some simply make it happen. It is an obvious choice which type of person  we all would like to be... it is everyone’s dream to want to make things happen; to follow your dream, to conquer the world and be wealthy.

But why does it feel like I am stuck in a rut. Why does it feel like I am wasting time sitting here, reading all these books that seem irrelevant. Why does it feel like I am waiting for things to happen, when I so badly want things to happen?

It feels like I am walking through a dark tunnel; where the light doesn’t seem at arm’s reach. It feels like I am stuck at one place, with not a foot step towards tomorrow.  I feel caged, like a bird behind these “prison walls”.

How many of you feel stuck? How many of you feel like life has not changed in a long time? How many of you feel like you’ve made no progress?

Someone told me that in order to achieve, you need to endure the darkness in order to appreciate the light; that we need to take one step at a time, in order to reach the finish line. That the process of education is not easy nor is it fun; that there are no short cuts to success.

So for those of you, feeling stuck; keep going... keep studying... and keep the dream alive.

Being stuck is a temporary situation, getting you ready for what is to come. Being stuck is a chance to you to prepare and do all the dirty, unpleasant tasks so you can appreciate a brighter tomorrow.