Everyone will no doubt go through challenges in their life, and these can be hard to overcome. No matter how hard you try, you may feel like nothing will help or that, even when you try your best, you can’t see any difference. However, the most important parts of overcoming challenges are usually the first steps you make.
The initial steps you make on your journey to achieve your goal are the best parts. They show that you’re doing something about it, and they prove just how strong you are at making this change because, normally, it’s starting out that can be the hardest.
I figured this out the hard way, as most people do throughout their lives. After months of being diagnosed with depression, I felt like there was no hope and that there was no way I could overcome this. I felt like nothing had changed and that no matter what I did and how hard I tried, it was no use. That all changed for me yesterday when I realised that it’s not about the biggest change; it’s sometimes not at all a difference you can see. It’s the small things.
Yesterday I went to my first counselling appointment in hopes that couselling teamed with my medication would help me to improve my mental health, or at least to learn to cope with it. It took me a while to realise, but that in itself was a step forward in making a change. I never would have done that before because I would have avoided anything I could like that; I’m not the most open person when it comes to people I don’t know.
It made me realise that sometimes you can change, or take a step toward your goal, without even realising it. Whether your goal is losing weight, doing better in education, trying to achieve your dream job, or even something like eating better or recovering from an illness — it may seem like you can’t change or that everything you’re doing isn’t working, but I can almost guarantee it is.
You can only try so hard, and I promise that your effort won’t be in vain. Take notice of the little things, whether you’re making an appointment for something you never thought you’d make, simply reducing the amount of snacks you eat a day, or taking more time in completing homework. It’s the small things that make the difference, and once you’ve completed these, you’ll find that the bigger differences fall right into place until you’ve achieved everything you want.
Don’t ignore the small achievements you make. They’re the most important, no matter how much they get overlooked. They’re the hardest to complete, and they’re going to be the biggest part in your success in life. Don’t give up on yourself, and don’t sell yourself short. You have got this, and I promise you can do anything you want.
There’s hope for everyone, and you can achieve even more than you think. Just don’t underestimate yourself. As A. A. Milne said, “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Always remember that. No matter what you do in life, you will beat it to the best of your ability.
Stay strong.
Meggan Turner is a contributing guest author for Germ, which means the following criteria (and then some) have been met: possessor of a fresh, original voice; creator of fresh, original content; genius storyteller; superlative speller; fantastic dancer; expert joke teller; handy with a toolbox; brilliant at parties; loves us as much as we love them.