How often do we look at successful people and feel intimidated and jealous? We are either forced to admire them or hate them. We think of how much better, smarter and more driven they are. But if we were to look closer we would see at the core of every great person lies a series of simple decisions. Success comes not just from luck and smartness, but from simple choices that ultimately define who we are and what we become. To become successful, we first have to empower ourselves and learn to love and appreciate all our flaws. And to do so, we have to start from the simplest step; our thoughts Our mind is our biggest asset, but also our biggest obstacle. It is the most important tool at our disposal, but it is useless if we don't know how to apply it. Here are some steps that can help us to learn how to befriend our mind, become its master and allow us to walk on the path of self-awareness. Control your reaction We are often faced with an undesirable situation in life that is not in our control and which leaves us feeling helpless and frustrated. Not being able to control people and situations doesn't mean you're powerless; it just means that you have to control your reaction towards them. If you can't control a situation, then prepare for it. Instead of losing temper, it is more helpful when you accept the obstacle in front of you and try to work on finding the solution. This will help you to slowly build patience and resistance to an undesirable situation. We're often so fixated on getting people to behave the way we want that we forget to focus on ourselves. The best way to stop people and situations from controlling your life is to take charge of your own decisions and become stronger and smarter. Watch for self-criticism Your unconscious mind is your greatest critic. It is imperative to always speak to it in positives. Having a cynical attitude about every action you do only give you more reason to become sad and confused. Instead, praise yourself for any kind thing you did today, no matter how small it is. Change your self-talk and you'll be on a fast track to a more positive and empowered relationship with yourself and the world. Do not overthink Humans tend to overcomplicate things because we overthink them. It is therefore important to take a step back and remember your priorities and make the right decision. Don't wallow in self-pity or spend useless time thinking about that one mistake you made. Learn to appreciate your choices and move on. Listen to yourself Whenever things get confusing, close your eyes and think about yourself. The key to becoming self-aware is to recognize your strengths and accept your weaknesses. Sort out your priorities and goals and work towards their fulfilment without getting distracted. Reward Yourself Once you complete your goal, it is important to reward yourself, no matter how big or small your achievement was. This helps is keeping us motivated and makes the tasks seem enjoyable. But it is important to be honest to yourself. The reward system will work as a motivation only as long as you didn't cheat on your goal. Smile and Relax Smiling is infectious; not only will it make you happier it will attract people with the same positive energy around you. Throughout your day, take a moment to breathe. It's as simple as remembering to take a deep breath. By doing so, you are giving a command to your mind to relax. And a relaxed mind is an open mind. It will also develop your discipline, which leads to even more self-mastery.

Oh my heart. Why did you take such a huge piece of it?! I offered you some, but you were like a ravenous wolf and tore at the whole thing. You left me with shreds. Shreds and a feeling that somehow, some way, that fact was MY fault. Well fuck you. I took those shreds and stitched them together with the sinews of my tears, with a needle made of my OWN love, and I made a new heart. This heart knows better than to trust, and there isn't enough left of it to offer to anyone, but it is MINE. AND YOU HAVE NEVER TOUCHED IT.

It all began along a vibrant street, blossoms everywhere, foliage scattered all around, the brisk frost felt so quiescent, so serene to my soul. How amazing the sky with spiraling cotton clouds, the grass with dew sparkling like diamonds. This divine art of nature tranquilized the mind and body of pedestrians. I was flabbergasted by the nature that I forgot to notice something. Something horrendous indeed. Standing across the street, under the umbrella of sunrays, were four kids with four bags but with “two different stories”. Two kids pale as they seemed, stood in quietude like a phantom, lost in their ocean of thoughts with cries of hopelessness coercing them to drown in abyss. With ceaseless search for hope in their eyes but seemed that destiny stabbed them in the back each time they combated to attain their dream. This never gave them the intrepidity to standup afresh. Their legs quivered, dreams faded and despair engulfed them, compressing them under a state of bewilderment. They knew not whether their future existed, while holding a rugged, patched bag gathering garbage from the surface which enveloped them. While the second story comprised not of rueful souls, bleeding hearts, sorrowful smiles, gloomy eyes and unforgettable tragedies but it accompanied gladsome smiles, blissful lives, faithful hearts and buoyant eyes. The two kids in this tale possessed school bags and books, wore uniform and steadily directed their way towards their school with ambition to strive and chase their aims and dreams. I wish to see the spark of hope in their eyes, in the eyes of the hopeless and grieved ones. I wish to replace garbage bags with school bags, trash with books and brooms with pencils. I wish to see grinning souls and auspicious smiles, instead of lachrymose eyes under the shadows of terror and agony. I wish to glorify each melancholic soul with a resolute vision to thrive and carve their destiny. And I wish them to love life and cherish it like the staunch, enthusiastic children. This example doesn't only represent those four kids but makes us realize how millions of innocent and naive souls kill their dreams, bury their futurity and abolish their destiny due to the lack of opportunities and chances bestowed upon them. This is what I hope to achieve in my lifetime; to make this a “single story” of hope, struggle and passion for fulfilling their dreams. To win the spark of aspiration and contentment in their eyes, and make them flourish their fate and predetermination. I hope to make them construct a promising future, a prosperous life, a determined generation and an ambitious world! I dream to put together the dispersed puzzle fragments into one intact piece of warm fuzziness and beatitude. And dream to make it a “ONE SIMILAR STORY” for each and every juvenile on this planet by healing their sundered futures with the only key to close this door of inequality and poverty, ‘education'.