Diamond.

A week ago, I decided.  Today I am a Diamond.  And I am ready!

I do believe that there is a Diamond in me.  It's just that my self-limiting beliefs had been telling me that I am just a mere gold.  But no!  I am a Diamond!

All my life I have never been too competitive.  Plus no one has encouraged nor pushed me to the limits.  I remember, I graduated Valedictorian in the elementary, but I was not the very studious type.  My parents did not push me... It so happened that I was the most intelligent --- the most diligent perhaps --- in class.  I knew my parents were proud.  But that was just it!  It was not a big deal.

When I was in high school, I did not get any honors.  The only feather in my cap then was my scholarship which I nearly lost during my senior year because of my below average mark in Physics and Trigonometry! And it was just ok for my family.  My parents did not even ask me why I was not in the honor roll.  But I did gave my all in those freaking subjects in the last three quarters lest I would not finish high school.

In college, I graduated Cum Laude.  I did not expect it because I was a working student, and I did not have all the luxury of time to study.  I just did my part, with all my heart! :-)

When I was already working, my promotions landed on my lap even without me aiming for it!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

My point?  All my life I had this idea that I am just an ordinary, average person.  Since I did not hear any words of encouragement in everything that I did, I thought everything is just ordinary and natural.  That I am just an ordinary person.  That if I do something, I can also get to the top even without much effort.

This has been my belief for more than four decades of my life - that everything will naturally happen to me.  Not until one day when I heard my mentor saying something that hit me --- that the success that I want to get can be a destination or a journey; that each one has a Diamond within; that I can be a better person than I am today; that I can achieve more in life only if I am willing to embrace the pressure that Diamonds have to go through so that their true beauty and essence will come out.

And so that night I made the decision --- to be a better person than I am today; to work more, achieve more and to embrace the pressure so that the Diamond in me will come out and shine its radiant beauty.