Check out this quote by Neeraj Sharma:
So what's the final answer? How do you become less of a worrier and more of a warrior? Well, if you haven' t guessed already, the the answers is . . . have confidence in yourself! Believe you are good enough and stop doubting yourself. Do what you love and fight for your dreams to come true. Remember not to let others or your past failures define you. You are the only one who can decide what you want to be, and you can either choose to be a warrior, or a worrier.
Here is the story of an MSJ dancer:
"I am a warrior because dance has been my passion since I was a four year old. I always thought dance was was a fun stress free activity that I loved, but then it started becoming more that that. It became a competition between who could be better. I tried out for the school's dance team, and all my friend made it except me. I thought I wasn't good enough and that dance wasn't for me. I went through a series of emotions including regret and confusion but I soon realized that dance had been my passion since I was a kid and I wouldn't give it up for anything. From that experience, I've learned that not making a team or someone telling you that you aren't good enough shouldn't impact you because these experiences just make you stronger and better at what you love." Here are some great quotes you can use as inspiration!
"Doubt kill more dreams than failure ever will." -Suzy Kassem "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." -Paulo Coelho "Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason." -Paulo Coelho "You have to be odd to be number one." -Dr. Seuss "Sometimes following your heart means losing your mind." -Ray "You've got to wake up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction." -George Lorimer "What if I fall? Oh, but my darling what if you fly? -Erin Hanson "Failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success." -Arianna Huffington "I already know what give up feels like. I want to see what happens if I don't." -Neila Ray "Whatever you believe about yourself on the inside is what you will manifest on the outside." -Unknown "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." -Leo Buscaglia "You can be the ripest juiciest peach in the world and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches." -Dita Von Teese "You learn more from failure than from success. Don't let it stop you. Failure builds character." -Unknown Take this quiz to find out whether you are a warrior, or a worrier!
Recently, I went around campus and asked different MSJ Warriors the question: Why are you a warrior? Ironically, many people's response right away was, "But I'm not a warrior." Even after I explained that the question doesn't refer to an actual warrior, but rather a time when you've overcame your worries, whether it be about an audition or a test, or something else like that. Even still they had the same response and I find this interesting because it shows how little confidence teens have in themselves nowadays. After a little thinking, I managed to get some pretty solid answers about people, but the people who had the best answers wanted to left anonymous. This is yet another example of how many teens these days are worriers. There were only a very few amount of kids who came right out and answered the question and said it was okay to put their names on the quote. But all that aside, here is what the some MSJ Warriors had to say:
"Why are you a warrior?" "I am a warrior because I want to fight for a better future." -Anisha Anisetti "I am a warrior because I've gotten over my biggest fear of being alone." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I believe in myself all the time and am my own person and I believe that dreams make the world go round (:" -Negeen Amerian "I am warrior because my parents argue a lot because of me, but I never get mad at them." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I survived sudden unexpected eye surgery." -Drishti Vidyarthi "I am a warrior because I have faced thousands of people whenever I perform on stage, I have always feared that I would mess up, but never did." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I put effort into things even when it is not needed." -Avantika Sharma "I am warrior because I take part in all opportunities offered to me." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I want to help others and be my best as an MSJ Warrior." -Kenneth Trinh "I am warrior because I think a B+ is bad grade." -Anonymous "I am warrior because I try my hardest at all the activities I do including dance and give my 100%." -Roma Modi "I am a warrior because I overcame the fear of failing my math tests!" -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I try my hardest at everything." -Avantika Rastogi "I am a warrior because I believe in myself when others don't." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I put hard work into everything I do and work through the hard times." -Riya Modi "I am a warrior because I've been through hard times but I'm still smiling (:" -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I had three tests on one day and aced all of them." -Anonymous "I am warrior because I see the world in my own way, laugh at my own jokes, and wear pajamas to school, I don't care what others think about me." -Samhita Banerjee "I am a warrior because I manage to deal with all my problems on my own and because I am still alive even though I go to MSJHS." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I try my hardest regardless of adversities." -Ishika Chawla "I am a warrior because I push myself to move forward and succeed." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I never gave up at playing basketball no matter how many obstacles came in my way." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I believe in school and all of our sports." -Abhishek Shah "I am a warrior because I bought my mile time to a 6:35 today." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I believe in myself, and I believe in education, so Mission's stressful environment is perfect me to suffer and succeed at the same time." -Lahari Vuppaladhadiam "I am a warrior because.....Stephen Curry. Have you seen him play?" -Alan Wang "I am a warrior because, I'v always been afraid of heights, but one day I went on Dropzone an overcame my fears." -Aarushi Agrawal "I am a warrior because I never give up." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I believe in having confidence in yourself is the best way to show someone what you are worth." -Anonymous "I am a warrior because I'm very loud but I don't care what others say about that!" -Anonymous Here are some examples of some incredible people throughout history who stood up for what they believed in, but remember, you don't have to do extraordinary, out-of-this -world things in order be a warrior. Any small act of braveness and courage also does count. 1. Martin Luther King Jr. Many of you have probably heard of this man because he is quite a famous figure. Martin Luther King Jr. is considered to be probably one of the greatest religious leaders this world has ever seen. He stood up for what he believed and made a tremendous impact on the fight for racial equality. He had extraordinary courage and stood up for himself even when so many people disagreed with his views. Mr. King touched everybody with his unforgettable speeches and his unbelievable bravery and is now a hero and an inspiration for many. 3. Walt Disney Another quite famous name, Walt Disney. Did you know that this man was fired from a newspaper job because they said he wasn't creative enough? Funny because now Disney is one of the biggest corporations of all time and it was created all because of Mr. Disney's imagination. Before Walt Disney became famous he had several jobs that he was no good at and tried several times to kick-start his career. After numerous jobs and close to being bankrupt, Disney decided to pursue his dream of cartoon drawing and animation and started a small company now world-wide known as Disney. 2. Stephen Hawking In 1963, Stephen Hawking, found out he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and was told he had only two more years to live. This disease affects the nerve cells and the spinal cord and gradually shuts down muscle movement. Yet, this man didn't let this obstacle block him from following his dreams and achieving his goals. After finding about this terrible news he continued to live life to the fullest and went to Cambridge University to become a researcher and scientist. He is now considered one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists ever since Albert Einstein. And guess what...he is currently 73 years old and alive and breathing with three kids and a mind that is as knowledgeable as ever. 4. Nelson Mandela A worldwide hero, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela is a man that everyone looks up to, but his life wasn't always that great. Mandela stood up for what he believed and fought for equality against apartheid in South Africa, which was a system of racial segregation among different cultures, especially blacks. Because of his rebellions against the government system, he was sentenced for a life in prison. He was released after twenty seven years and he didn't let his years in jail affect his beliefs and continued to preach about the equality of all ethnic races. Mandela went on the become the president and one of most memorable leaders of Africa, and also once again, a worldwide hero. 5. Helen Keller When she was only nineteen months old, Helen Keller contracted an illness that left her both deaf and blind. But, as many of the other warriors on this page, she didn't let these obstacles stop her from living her life to the fullest. She learned how to speak and write and eventually became a world famous speaker and author and an advocate for people with disabilities. 6. J.K. Rowling J.K. Rowling and her extremely famous and successful Harry Potter books are a big part of many people's childhood, but J.K. Rowling herself was not always as successful as she is now. Before publishing the Harry Potter series Rowling had no job (she was fired from her job as a secretary for daydreaming too much), was nearly bankrupt, and just recently had a divorce. She was in a really bad place, but fought through it and placed all her hope into what she loved to do the most, write. She had been making the outline for the Harry Potter series for several years and little did she know that, after publishing the first book Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, her life would change so tremendously. 7. Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson was the first ever African American to play in major league baseball. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and as you can probably guess, many hardships came his way. Some players on his team said they would rather sit out than play with Robinson and players from other teams spit at him called him names. Although at times discouraged, Robinson had a few people encouraging him, like his coach and friends, and these people and his passion for the game never made him quit playing and doing what he loved. He ignored all those who disrespected him and proved to them what he was worth through his incredible batting averages and baseball skill. 8. Rosa Parks This is yet another name many of you might be quite familiar with, and it's incredible how such a small act of defiance can make one woman so legendary. Rosa Parks lived in a time where "blacks" and "whites" were greatly segregated. African Americans were viewed as less than other races and were forced to things such as: give up their seats on a bus when a white person doesn't have one. Well, Rosa Parks, being the warrior she is, stood up for what she believed in by. . . sitting down. She refused to give up her seat to a white person and was therefore arrested. Her act of defiance was a symbol for the Civil Rights Movement and many other rebellions against racial segregation. 9. Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman was born into slavery but luckily escaped through the Underground Railroad and made a long and tiring journey by foot to Pennsylvania. Normal people would have been happy to leave and never want to come back, but Tubman wasn't like that, she was a warrior. She knew that slavery was wrong and risked her life about thirteen times, going on missions using the Underground Railroad to save her family, friends and other slaves help them escape. Harriet Tubman was the definition of real courage and had an extraordinary amount of bravery. She is really a true hero and a great inspiration. 10. Bill Gates This man is not only a warrior because of his extreme smarts and intelligence, but also because he donates much of the money he makes to many great causes. 11. Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was an extremely wise and intellectual man who stood up for what he believed in, even if it meant going to jail for several years. He was a man who believed in and preached nonviolence and equality. He did so many things that had a huge impact on India and society that if I listed them all, it would take forever. But, Gandhi is referred to by India as the "father of the nation" and he took part in many outrageous movements and was a large part of India's independence. This wise man was probably one of the best leaders India has ever seen and an excellent example of a warrior. Here are 11 Great Tips That Can Help You Feel More Confident About Yourself:
1. Don't Think Negative: Get rid of all those negative thoughts in your head that are saying you want to give up or are saying you won't be able to do what you're want to do. Think positively and believe in yourself. 2. Find out more about yourself: When a warrior goes into battle, he studies his enemy and gets to know the enemy's tactics. No warrior goes into battle without knowing his enemy. Get to know yourself a bit more and try to find out your strengths and your weaknesses. Dig deeper into yourself and eventually you'll come out even stronger with more self confidence. 3. Stand Tall: Having good posture makes you feel a lot better about yourself. 4. Know what you believe in: Have your own principles and morals and follow them. They can be things like "Do What You Love" or "Believe You Are Good Enough." 5. Smile: Even if it's a fake smile, smiling instantly makes you feel better. Fake it till you make it! 6. Exercise and Eat Healthy: Doing these things will make you feel a lot better about yourself because you're doing things that make you an overall better and healthier human being. 7. Set Goals: Set small goals that you know you can achieve. After you achieve them you'll feel more motivated than ever. 8. Leave Your Comfort Zone: If we keep stepping out of our comfort zones, eventually our comfort zone will expand leading us to feel comfortable in more situations. 9. Don't be afraid of Failure: Failure is a natural part of life. It can never be completely avoided. All we can do is try our best at everything. If we get over our fear of failing, we'll be able to try a lot more things and be able to bounce right back up ready to try again after failing at something. 10. Love yourself and your flaws- Pretty self explanatory (: Little Extra Tip: Do you have any presentations or auditions or anything like that coming up? It is actually a proven fact that if you stand in front of a mirror before your presentation with your arms out wide on your sides (kind of like a monster) and say to yourself "I am big, I am strong," you are instantly guaranteed to feel a lot more confident about yourself! Try it out, it really works. The definition of a warrior is someone who can stand up and fight for what they believe in using plenty of courage and skill. The definition of a worrier is someone who is inclined to worry, someone who constantly doubts and underestimates themselves. Are you noticing a difference between these two? All of us have a little bit of worrier and a little bit of warrior inside of us, and our job is to let that warrior part of us shine. Worriers tend to worry about the smallest, most unimportant things and that just holds them back and wastes their time. Suzy Kassem once said, "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." All of us have dreams and all of us have goals, but if we keep doubting ourselves and worrying about what's going to happen, then we are never going to let our dreams come true and we'll end up never taking the opportunities given to us. Think of ourselves as boats, for example. Dreams propel us, while doubt anchors us. So all you worriers out there, STOP. Stop doubting yourselves or else you're never going to be able to move forward. Stand up and go after what you believe in like a warrior. Because that is the main difference between a worrier and a warrior. While worriers never move forward and sit there underestimating themselves, warriors are out there standing up and going after what they believe in no matter what obstacles may stand in their way. Stop worrying about whether or not you are good enough, stop worrying about past failures, stop worrying about the results and go after and pursue what you love and what you believe in, whether it be an audition or a job or a good grade or even someone you love. And if you fail, get back up and try again because a WARRIOR never only fights one battle. Start your journey to becoming a warrior right now. Remember this quote the next time you begin to doubt yourself.
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