Jump over the hurdles

Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela

We often find excuses as to why we cannot step out into the destiny we were created for. However, the truth is that life is a race and all that we find in our lanes is not there by mistake. If the hurdles are set on your lane, it’ s not a mistake, it’ s part of your race; and if you have to win the race, you will not stop behind that hurdle, but jump over it. Each and every individual faces a unique hurdle, tailored specifically for their race. One may be higher for someone else and lower for someone else. To win, you have to study your own race, and the hurdles that it brings. Never make the mistake of looking to the left or the right to compare your hurdles to that of your neighbors ’ cause you are all running a different race all together. One can find themselves having a background hurdle. Growing up in a broken family and perhaps have never really experienced true love and the warmth of a family. Another may be facing a physical hurdle; you may be experiencing one disability or the other. For another, it can be a poor financial background. For another, it could be a chronic sickness. All the hurdles , both listed and unlisted above, are part of your race. It has been positioned as part of your race because your creator knows your ability and will never give you more than you can take. With that broken family background, why not turn it around and look at it as a refining process for your character development, and perhaps preparation for the journey ahead. Perhaps you faced abuse and all, how could you use that to change your story. Wine is made from the crushing of grapes-like the grapes, your best could only come from the crushing. Now that you got crushed, you are nothing but wine. Never allow the past to work against you-allow that crushing to bring the best in you. Remove bitterness from your vocabulary. You are the best version of yourself because of what you went through, you just have not tapped into that greatness. The principle of life is that nothing happens by chance, so when it happens, let it work out for your good. Your pain was just preparing you to be the storyteller, the story of which only you could tell.

Is it physical disability? I believe the real you lives from the inside out. The outside environment can never limit the destinyoriented individual. I believe that true blindness is when one has both eyes and has no vision, true disability is when one has feet yet is wandering about, true deafness is when one has both ears wide open but cannot hear the destiny voice. Never let the world’ s definition of normal derail you. The one voice you ought to listen to is the voice of purpose and destiny. If you know where you are going, nothing can stop you. You may look physically disabled but the destiny truth is that you were enabled for the race you are to run and the journey you ought to take to your destiny. In sickness, I understand this language and know the experience like the back of my hand. From a tender age of eight, I suffered from Chronic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Through my primary and high school years I battled with this giant. It was one of the worst nightmares I experienced in my life- it affected my social life as I could not play too hard, or eat like other children, work like everyone else. I would be bedridden almost every other week and could not even hold a pen to write. At some point my jaws dislocated and I could not eat.

My knee-cap dislocation was now a frequent experience. As a teenager, it really limited my life and I really felt like it robbed me of my life, it dug into my family ’ s finances in search of solution for my health. The experience was horrific. However, after accepting that I could not do that much of physical activity, I took time with myself to discover my purpose. I got to accept that I could not play netball, which I had tried; and I took time to study who it is that I am. Thankfully, I got to discover my passion for writing, speaking, entrepreneurship and the business world in general. Now the arthritis is part of my story and serves as inspiration for many that nothing can stop a person of vision. Actually, arthritis prepared me for the challenges I would meet ahead, one of which is anaemia. Arthritis taught me to appreciate myself beyond what I have or do not have, to accept my weaknesses yet not allow them to stop me. After my diagnosis of anaemia, and the experiences of its worst symptoms, I managed to get up everyday and chase my purpose. For when your purpose is clear, your life will have meaning. Victory starts when you accept your weaknesses, love yourself beyond your weaknesses, treasure yourself beyond the brokenness then maximize your forward motion. Your strengths are more than enough for the journey ahead of you. Learn from your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. GIRL, ONLY YOU CAN STOP YOU!

GIRL, ONLY YOU CAN STOP YOU!