You can’t climb Mount Everest from the comfort of your armchair.

Photo by Joshua Earle via Unsplash

Ever since the virus shook the foundation of our world, things have changed dramatically. With schools shut and the new WFH policy, every individual has been compelled to adapt and adjust to what is now the famous ‘new-normal’.

In the sphere of education, parents, teachers and students have been hit hard. Parents find themselves having to deal with moody teenagers, teachers are challenged to remain constantly motivated themselves and students may often see themselves standing on the edge of a dark chasm.

We do not find our strength in times of joy. We do not become stronger in comfort zones. We cannot develop grit and determination unless we believe we can.

To every single individual out there, battling with his own darkness, believe you can. You can emerge from this apathy, this absolute listlessness, this unending tunnel. The mind is where it all begins. Begin a mantra that says, ‘I am strong and capable.’ We are what we believe we are. And if we believe we are powerful, we become powerful. This is not advice to feel foolishly over-confident. Neither is it an exploration of the possibility that we can accomplish things without effort. Rather, it is a gentle nudge in the direction of primarily working with the assumption that we can achieve whatever we put our minds to.

Get down to planning your goals. Take baby steps until perseverance becomes a habit. Spend time with family. Speak to friends. Call mentors and teachers who are always ready to help. Eat and sleep well, for as Max Ehrmann says,

“Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness….

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still

A beautiful world.”