My life, blessed with a myriad of opportunities and an incredible support system, devoid of failure and hardship, has delayed my introspection on personal limitations until, well, now. I’m just learning the fact that I will not be good at everything, or even be interested in everything. I cannot help everyone. My greatest effort may not always be enough. And, even I (gasp!) can be wrong.
Alas, I’m a member of this human race.
With an increasingly demanding academic world and exposure to more and more individuals with varied perspectives, I have learned that accepting myself - strengths, weaknesses, preferences, values and all - will be and should be important to each of my decisions, personal and professional. More than anyone else, I must believe that the choices I make are the right ones, because my conscience is the greatest bearer of their consequences.
Self-acceptance does not mean giving in to failure. In fact, to me, it means just the opposite – it means playing up your strengths. Contradictory to what I’ve believed for so long, letting go does not equal giving up. It means moving forward with a new approach and perspective. It means trusting yourself.