"You have the ability to rise above the discouragement of others, to use their negativity as fuel to your flame. To push you harder and closer to your dreams."
It’s a harsh reality of life. One of those things that will inevitably happen when you set about to achieve a dream. Someone will come along to tell you that you shouldn't do it. They will tell you that they mean well, they are only trying to help. They might even tell you that they are doing it out of love.
They will try to discourage you, give you all the reasons why you might fail, and make a list of things that can go wrong. They will point to safer roads, more certain outcomes, and try to convince you that it’s not worth the risk. They will project their fears onto you, thinking that you can’t succeed where they failed.
This type of feedback can be disheartening, and even make you question whether or not you should continue. It will trigger your fears and insecurities, and make you stop and wonder, “are they right?”
But they aren’t. They are totally wrong. You CAN do whatever it is you set your mind to. You CAN achieve the ambitious goals you set for yourself. You CAN realize greatness, and become the best version of yourself. It doesn’t matter how many times they try to discourage you, or what negativity they offer instead of support. Their words cannot stop you if you don’t allow them to.
If you decide that this dream is worth pursuing, and you commit to working towards it every day, there is no person on this earth who can hold you back. History is filled with stories of people who have overcome rejection and discouragement to achieve great things (think: Rocky, Lady Gaga, Einstein, Oprah, Elvis, Disney).
The common thread among all of them is that they refused to give up. They refused to let the negative opinions of others stop them from pursuing their goals. They continued to show up, to do the work, to fight, to persevere. And they never stopped believing in themselves. They knew, deep down, that what they had was special. And they used that believing, that knowing, to keep them going when things got tough. (I know I don’t know any of them personally so this is all just a bit of educated speculation, but I’m 99.9% certain this is the case.)
You have this power within you as well. You have the ability to rise above the discouragement of others, to use their negativity as fuel to your flame. To push you harder and closer to your dreams. It’s a conscious choice that you have to make, for yourself. To choose to not allow anything to stop you. Not rejection, not failure, not setbacks, not obstacles, and definitely not the opinions of others.
I encourage you to make this choice when faced with times like these. When it seems like the world is against you and you can't catch a break. Choose to keep believing. Choose to be the optimistic one who says “That’s ok! Every obstacle is a lesson and every hurdle is an opportunity to hone my skills”.
Search out the things that will remind you that it is possible. For example, did you know that JK Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected by 12 different publishers before it was accepted? This is just one of the many inspiring stories you can find with a quick google search. It helps to be reminded that many successful people were once like you and me. And it was their relentless effort and their refusal to quit that got them to where they are now.
It’s ok if you stumble, and it’s ok if sometimes you feel like giving up. That’s all a part of it. The important thing is that you rise again, stronger and wiser, with a deeper knowledge that you can do this, you can pick yourself up every time you fall. You are the only one who can limit your potential. Once you know this, you will be unstoppable.
With infinite love,
Heidi (your personal cheerleader)
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