There's no questioning that the essence of society has become notorious for being unforgiving and cold to all those who encounter it. Some individuals are buffeted by it while a select few rise to the occasion to defeat it. In the so-called "adult world," few genuinely care about hardships faced by others previous to their concurrence and instead are only concerned with making personal gains. This concept is a rather disquieting one, but entirely relevant nonetheless. Personally, I’ve fallen victim to such conditions and have chosen to brave the storm. I come from a background saturated with difficulties and obstacles that I’ve never once used as leverage, or for the purpose of constructing excuses for my actions. And, I plan to continue in …show more content…
For my whole life, I’ve endured an unrelenting state of economic panic due to factors mostly beyond my family’s control. Because of this, I missed out on so many great opportunities simply because they couldn't be afforded. This can almost entirely be accredited to the fact that we’re a small town family of five living solely off of governmental benefits in a world that constantly demands more. Unfortunately, in addition to economic hardship, my father has fallen gravely ill in result of circumstances connected to his service in the Vietnam War. Hospital visits become more frequent as the years pass, which only creates additional stress that weighs heavy on the hearts of our household. Frankly, I'd be lying by claiming these conditions had no effect on me. The incessant battle fought to make ends meet, paired with the sickness of a loved one is surely enough to distract a person from their goals and knock them off the path to success. However, my unrelenting desire to persevere and generate change goes unmatched, and no degree of affliction will serve in its hindrance. In countless ways, I'm inexplicably grateful for each and every experience I've had up to this point in my life. Such adversities have done nothing less than fuel the undying fire inside myself that contends to make a great difference in the
A human being is a complicated entity of a contradictory nature where creative and destructive, virtuous and vicious are interwoven. Each of us has gone through various kinds of struggle at least once in a lifetime ranging from everyday discrepancies to worldwide catastrophes. There are always different causes and reasons that trigger these struggles, however, there is common ground for them as well: people are different, even though it is a truism no one seems to able to realize this statement from beyond the bounds of one’s self and reach out to approach the Other.
Growing up, life wasn't easy. As a result of these adversities, I've been able to not only see, but personally experience, having a constant battle in my life. Throughout this journey of life, I’ve had the opportunity to meet people and learn about different backgrounds and hardships many others suffer from. These experiences,
There are many people in today’s society who undergo many horrible experiences and are able to overcome the hard trials that are placed in front of them in order to become successful in life. While some individuals suggest that these individuals will struggle throughout life and others saying that they just need a few words of encouragement in order to progress in life. Regardless of one’s opinion, it is very important to remember that no one person has to go through anything alone and that help and encouragement will always be available for those who seek it.
Although some individuals may believe that it was a miracle that my father survived cancer, it was much more than that. The optimism of my family, friends, and loved ones enabled my dad to relieve his stress and focus on his cancer treatment. This situation has changed my mindset in life and it has provoked me to stay hopeful even when the odds are not in my favor. I’ve began to use positive thinking to help guide myself to my ambitions. This made my transition into adulthood much easier because I was prepared to deal with difficult situations. I began to cherish my loved ones even more than before. I realized all the luxuries that I had received and took for granted. I learned that the most important people in life is your family and without them, it’s near impossible to be successful. If my father had lost his fight, I would have had to become more independent as I would become the man of the house. Going into adulthood, I’ve learned that I should take situations into my owns hands rathering that relying on others. Some people that may be there for you today, may not be there
For the past two years, I go to work everyday carrying someone else’s problem on my shoulders, officially making it my problem to fix. I reinforced my madness by telling my self that this phase in my life will pass. The irony of it is that life passed me by as I disappeared in the mist of trying to “fix” someone else’s problem. Each one of us has our own life challenges that we face everyday. Mine has been with the duties of the heart. My fiancé has fallen into the abyss of drugs, and it has made my personal life very difficult to fully live. One positive aspect I have gained from this unfortunate experience is the understanding that life is very delicate and in order for things to change in our lives we have to make changes. I am determined to invest my energy and time to productive and tangible outcomes such as my education.
For as long as I can remember I have set high goals for myself regarding my future, my friendships, and my education. Entering college with these standards I knew that I wouldn’t settle for less than my best, and I would strive to amaze myself at my success. One thing I never fit into my planned path of achievement was any type of struggle, or obstacle that could alter the way I have thought for so long. The first month of college I fell upon an obstacle I never could have imagined. I suffered a knee injury and missed continuous classes following the accident as well as surgery that was necessary to my recovery. These things tested my strength as a person, but also as a student. It made everything a little more complicated, even the little things like getting out of bed in the morning. I pushed myself to see the end of the tunnel I felt seemed impossible to crawl out of. Many things helped me along the way, and just as I hadn’t imagined my accident, I couldn’t have imagined the support I found everywhere around me. I know that I can overcome obstacles in the future now because of my determination for success and the use of helpful resources all around me.
My motivations in life have always been centered on my desire to maintain independence and happiness. My passions for physical therapy and health originated from those same motivations. Throughout my childhood, I repeatedly found myself in tough situations that required a level of self -dependency and perseverance that I don’t believe many young minds possess. My parents’ divorce put my life on a trajectory that could have easily been destructive. As a young girl, I realized that despite the lack of control I felt in my hardships growing up, I had control over my academic and future successes. I vowed that I would remember the struggles I faced and concentrate my energy on creating a better life for myself. To this day, it is important to me
Watching my brother struggle and then being able to overcome these difficulties, as well as seeing other children around him who were not as fortunate, really pushed me, even at a young age, to make a difference. My family, both immediate and extended, were very supportive, and I felt a real positive push towards working hard to achieve that goal of working in health care. In high school, I was fortunate enough to do a cooperative placement at the Peterborough Regional Health Center’s Intensive Care Unit.
In what ways has adversity touched your life and shaped your view of the future? How do you anticipate “paying it forward” as you pursue your higher education and beyond?
...continue my journey because of certain circumstances, I am relieved that I preserved despite all odds. In essence, I now know that volunteering at hospice enabled me to do my part and help others. Even if it is not major, just the ability to brighten the day of a lonely patient by making them holiday cards or speaking to their family members gave me much needed joy and fulfillment. Because of my involvement at Heartland Hospice, I have come to include community service as a necessary part of my life. Over a period of time, I have learned that volunteering isn’t just about clocking in hours but rather an obligation to do my best to help others and contribute to society in any way I can. I also feel that my love and compassion for people are strengths especially applicable to service, and that volunteering my time is the best way I can satisfy this calling.
While doing some research on mental health, I overcame a petition opposing the Federal Government and the Canada Revenue Agency’s plan to tax private sector mental health services in Canada. Instead of knocking down barriers, the Federal Government and Canada Revenue Agency are proposing a plan which will place another systematic barrier for those with mental illness. I immediately signed it. I also shared the link to the petition with my peers in both of my online courses and with my Facebook friends. By signing the petition and sharing it with others, I was taking action and making a small change. I realized this when one of my peers contacted me regarding a sibling that had struggled with similar issues. By simply posting the petition and by sharing some information about my personal struggles, I was normalizing the topic of mental health. This was the moment I realized that I had reached my peak as an agent of change, as I felt I had the social responsibility and obligation to share my knowledge on this
Highlighting a few points of my childhood that have molded me into the man that I am today are the fact that I come from a Lower Middle-Class family. This plays a major factor on the manner that I process information. I grew up with a Father who was distant at best, working long hour’s day in and day out in a cannery factory, a mother who suffered from multiple health issues to the tune of diabetes, depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and an older sister that in my youth I idolized. These factors are the foundation for the future that was to come. My parents had a very unhealthy relationship and had separated at one point and my mother continually threated to leave my father over the years. (TCO 3 & 5)
When I think back on the many obstacles I have overcome in life, the most challenging would be when my younger brother became a victim of gun violence during my last semester of undergrad at Florida State University. We were both enrolled in school at the time, living over 400 miles away from home. As you can imagine, the pressure of being the first in family to graduate was already high, and on this tragic day I had to juggle being a full-time student with a full-time job, while caring for my brother. There were many times I did not think I would be able to do it all, with our parents so far away and unable to travel to us, I was his only support system. Despite the stress I was feeling, I had to remain strong; not only for my brother, but for my parents who did not think he’d survive.
While there are many things standing in my way, my experiences have prepared me. My mother’s kidney disease shows me the importance of being financially prepared for the unexpected. My dad’s hard work and sacrifice has shown me how to be a hard-working woman and to put others before myself. And most importantly, I have learned that no matter a person’s race, gender, or class, you never truly know a person’s
In overcoming these hardships, I learned several important lessons. I found that no matter what, I need to confidently push myself to do my best and persevere. I learned that I can’t let life get in the way of my own ambitions. Life will always throw us “curve-balls” and, recognizing the importance of finding tenacity, even when feeling uncertain and feeble, is pivotal to