Sky is not the limit...

The world celebrated the women on earth on March 8. Across the globe in various countries women of all walks would have taken a moment to enjoy and others wondering what the joy is all about. After all it was the challenge of being a woman that was faced once upon a time that brought about this day.

This year’s theme of International Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge. It indicates that a “challenged world is an alert world, and from challenge comes change”.

It is hard to exist without challenges but we can improve ourselves constantly to prepare ourselves to face the difficulties. It all eventually adds up to be part of our experience.

In one of the interviews with the late Shaikh Khalfan al Esry, Life Coach and Islamic Scholar, he said to me that to overcome challenges all we have to do is to accept the situation and the solutions will follow. But most of the time we are so busy channelling all our energy on complaining about the situation that we neither have the energy nor the time to think and act upon the solutions. “Accept the problem, suddenly you will notice it has become small’’, he had said.

Circumstances might make one a victim, but the important factor is to get up and create a new identity for oneself first. It might be a difficult journey of healing but that is where it helps. Accept that there is a problem and you will have enough solutions and inspirations to move on.

The limitations for women in the modern world need only exist in her mind. The sky is not the limit. Today women have gone beyond the sky and onto the space, but what can limit us is the boundary of our mind some of it could have been created by the upbringing — family and the society.

One cannot remain to be a victim because life is not about existing but it is also about thriving and enjoying the very gift of existence. The more one continues to be in the victim syndrome the more opportunities are lost. The true faith is when we believe in a better tomorrow. Somewhere in life we tend to lose the excitement of being alive going through mundane moments day after day.

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day on Note It, a programme from Oman Daily Observer (on the social media) we spoke to Dr Amira Raidan, Head of Mental Health, Non-Communicable Diseases Department at the Ministry of Health, and this is what she had to say — break the routine and have the resilience to adapt new ways and means. Boost your energy she says and thoughts alone will not do, ensure that you eat the right food, exercise, become part of group activities. Take time to recharge and reset goals.

Maybe holidays are not just for travelling to holiday destinations but actually to travel to the most beautiful place in each of our lives — our mind. It is each individual’s right to have peace in their life and it can only be possible if the mind is happy. Dr Amira urged to move away from negative friends, because it is easy to lose ourselves but to bring ourselves up takes effort.

Interestingly she said compliment others and it is a lovely thought because not only are you making the other person feel appreciated, but you also are able to learn from them through observation at the same time have you noticed the happiness experienced when we compliment others?

Most importantly let us accept ourselves and not reject who we are. If your aims are high do not feel dejected let us develop ourselves to reach there. The best gifts to give and take are respect and dignity.

Lakshmi Kothaneth

lakshmiobserver@gmail.com