Why do I advocate for mental positivity health? Is it because I am deluded to believe that every person can live in some crazy, happy utopia? Wouldn’t that be amazing? But that is an unrealistic expectation of life. The truth is that most people lose the stamina to develop and progress due to negative mental influences that force them to give up. Cultivating a mind that is geared towards success does not ignore your current circumstances; it merely recognises that, in spite of them, you have decided to rise above them and succeed at all costs. We have so many examples of real-life people who had to overcome adversity to achieve their dreams. Let me share one such story with you.
Have you heard the story of Robert Kearns? His incredible story was turned into a movie entitled A Flash of Genius. To sum up, Kearns created intermittent car wipers to mimic the blinking movement of the human eye. The excitement of seeing his invention installed in vehicles across America was sadly short-lived. Unfortunately, Ford refused to partner with Kearns to produce and install his invention in their motor vehicles. Feeling defeated, Kearns assumed his invention was dead until he discovered that Ford had taken his idea, developed it, and secretly installed it in their vehicles. Rather than ignoring the “theft,” Kearns filed a lawsuit over patent rights and chose to represent himself. When you watch the movie recreation of his life, you are drawn into the dramatic, mental, financial, and family challenges Kearns faced in his legal battle. Yet, he refused to give up. He was adamant that he would win a case and claim the right to put his name behind the technology he had conceived. After twelve long years, Kearns emerged victorious when a judge awarded him the patent rights and forced Ford and Chrysler to pay him $10 million in damages.
My story may not be quite as dramatic, but it is my story. I, too, had an idea of the mind, and I knew I had to make some sacrifices to make it a reality. My dream involved teaching overseas, paying off my credit cards, increasing my savings and enjoying the luxury of travel. So, before my fortieth birthday, I started the process of making a life-altering change by applying for different international teaching jobs. Before my search, I wrote down what I was looking for in a job package. First of all, I wanted a teaching package that included free housing (no sharing of living spaces) and a significant salary increase that would help me survive in my new country and support my mother back home. Next, I needed to pay off several credit card debts, save up more money and travel the world. My sacrifices included resigning from my permanent job as an HOD at my previous school, moving thousands of miles away from family and friends, and learning about a completely different culture. I wish I could say that my first year as an international teacher was easy, but it was not.
I had to overcome numerous obstacles, such as homesickness, teaching a grade I had never taught before, learning a curriculum I had never heard of, dealing with a relatively challenging group of students, and maintaining diplomacy with a very challenging parent. I recall nights crying and praying for God to give me the mental fortitude to overcome. In his kindness, he helped keep my eyes on my initial goals: travel, earn more money, and become debt-free. As long as my goals were clear, my mental resolve was simple: work hard and become one of the best teachers in this school. Six years later, the sacrifices paid off. My bank balance improved, and I paid off my debts. To date, my husband and I have travelled to at least 14 countries and have been blessed with a myriad of cultural experiences.
When you have humble beginnings, the odds are already stacked against you before you can even start to win. It takes great mental fortitude to remind yourself of your own abilities to succeed. The world might not always put you first; you have to become your own champion. We might not win ten million dollars in a patent lawsuit, but at some point in all our lives, we face a battle we need to win to achieve any dream we might envision. This battle starts in the mental crevices of our minds before spilling into a physical reenactment.
Messages from parents that have warmed my heart (Names have been changed with AI to protect the student’s privacy:
Kaleidoscope: Life through different lenses 