Excellence. It's who we are. By default.

She said to me with tears in her eyes, that she feels like she  was unconscious for three years. Completely lost and forgot who she really was. Her dreams weren't the same anymore. And she didn't think of things the same way anymore.

Shocked at my colleague's reflection of our college life, I stare at her in awe. Of trying to understand how the same world that has completely changed me. A world and the same place that helped me find myself in the past three years, completely eluded her. Knowing the amazing, fun loving, creative and ever so dreamy and adventurous person she is, I was amazed she saw nothing in her but the feeling of not being good enough for anything.

"It's not anyone. It's just me." "It's who I am" "I'm just so sure of myself that I'm not worth it"

One out of every five friends I have has said this statement.
:(

This world is so cruel in the way it moulds our mind.

Yes. After years of trying to figure out what was wrong with me, I now learnt that all the while it wasn't me, but the world itself. This cruel world.

That tells you to join a school that kills your creativity. That tells you to shut up when you know the answer. That pops your bubble when you tried to see happiness in small things. That tells you,  you simply aren't good enough.

That teaches you that success is more important than the effort.  Victory is better than courage.
That giving up means losing. And letting go means giving up.

WRONG. I repeat. This cruel world is messed up.

Most often, we don’t realize that the source of our happiness has been in the outcomes of any effort. Now, when suddenly the outcomes just don’t seem to match our expectations, no matter how hard we try, internally we just don’t feel happy. We don’t feel satisfied. Instead, we feel demotivated, and like a complete failure.

Yet, Often we forget- excellence is the only thing by and for which we were created. Nothing less. By default, excellence and success is what our heritage is.If only we can see it, even when everything around us seems otherwise..

We really need to unlearn a lot of things this world taught us, and learn to live life ourselves. We need to re-find the us in us.

When Allah swt has Himself said He has created us perfectly,  what is it about ourselves that we are allowed to complain about then?
Our character, our shape, our color, our thoughts- what belongs so much to us? He has moulded everything.  And If Excellence is what Allah says it is, then excellence it is.

So forget what the world has claimed you to be. Go write that beautiful article. Because your vocabulary doesnt matter. Your expression does. Go paint your wall. It will have a meaning,  a story and a part of you in it. Go speak up. Because if you don't,  noone will. Dare to do the brave things. Trust me you will lose nothing. So apply for admissions to harvard. Build that business you have dreamt of establishing. Make that art gallery dream come true. Tell people proudly what's your cgpa and let them know how successful your semester was,  despite your cgpa that the world thought must be flat 4. Turn a deaf ear to those who mock you. Stay with those who let you be yourself.

Don't let anyone be the judge of your potential.  Not even yourself.

If you let the world mould you, it will, without doubt. But if you change your perspective, it cannot do anything.

And only you can do this to yourself.

You are YOU. And you are Excellent.