You can do it

We usher in the New Year 2018 with a positive affirmation that we believe in ourselves and know that there is something greater inside us than any obstacle in life. True, we begin the New Year with positive thoughts and affirmative self-talks, yet we know life is full of challenges that make it interesting, and overcoming them makes it meaningful. Strength doesn’t come from what you can achieve; it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. Some of you may have achieved the targets you set the previous year, while some of you might have failed in realising them. Prof. Sherene Aftab, in the cover story of this issue, sets before you some practical and useful New Year resolution ideas and suggests guidelines to implement them.

You can fly without ‘wings’, proves Jessica Cox, who became the first pilot with no arms. Jessica suffered a rare birth defect and was born without arms, though prenatal tests showed there was nothing wrong with her. Though she was born with this rare congenital disease, she had a great spirit. She has succeeded in becoming a psychology graduate, and can write, drive a car, brush her hair, talk on her phone, and type 25 words a minute, all only using her feet! Jessica, from Arizona, USA, is also a former dancer and double black belt in Taekwondo, and has a no-restrictions driving license. She took three years instead of the usual six months to complete her lightweight aircraft license, and practised 89 hours of flying, becoming the first pilot with no arms.

We have several personalities in history who accomplished great feats in life in spite of their physical limitations and unfavourable social and economic conditions. Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, recall the battles you have won and fears overcome. Your march towards achieving your destiny will require willpower, sacrifice and dedication. It might even hurt you while you make persistent progress in achieving your goal, but you will find it worth the trouble. Helen Keller has rightly said, “The struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings. It makes us patient, sensitive, and Godlike. It teaches us that although the world is full of sufferings, it is also full of overcoming it”.

Everyone faces problems and challenges in life; they are not stop signs, but guidelines. What matters is how you learn to overcome them and use them to your advantage. Associate with people who will inspire you, people who will challenge you to rise higher, people who will empower you. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and loved more than you are aware; so be confident, whatever your New Year resolution you can achieve it.