From the moment she opens her eyes in the morning to the moment she closes them at night, her mind is full of thoughts. She never stops thinking about how and when she’s going to take the step and decisively do all that it takes to be able to reach her dreams. That’s the typical day of an ambitious girl longing for independence, individuality, and success.
From the moment she opens her eyes in the morning to the moment she closes them at night, she faces many obstacles that continuously interrupt her thoughts. That she sometimes doubts her abilities, frustrates her. That’s the typical day of an ambitious girl longing for independence, individuality, and success, but living in Egypt.
How many times do many of us get the answer, “You can do that after graduation” or “Wait till you get married” or “Be patient, it’s too early” when we talk about our goals and express ourselves in front of the society and, especially, our families? How many times have we been let down by the people we expect to support us the most? We live in a society where parents’ definition of protection is limiting their daughters’ freedom until an undisclosed day. Whilst here in Egypt we’re told to temporarily give up on our dreams, a 17-year-old girl is running the UN’s Geneva office, a 13-year-old is Chief of Police in India, and Ireland has its first 18-year-old female mayor.
Girls should never surrender to such restrictions. We should only do what we believe in and what makes sense to our supposedly-educated mind. Because think of it; if we stopped working on our self-development, if we no longer set goals to accomplish, or if we just live everyday to satisfy faulty views, will we ever be satisfied? Definitely not. The consequence will be loss of enthusiasm over the years, accumulating regret, and looking back asking “what if?”. Life goes by too quickly to delay. We always think there’s time left but reality is we never know how much. It’s a horrible trap that gets us nowhere.
Around us are many people who took the initiative and were persistent enough to listen to their own instinct. So to every girl out there procrastinating for whatever reason; become one of them and make your dream a reality. You want to start your own business? Make a plan and check your resources. You want to be a famous actress? Sign up for the nearest acting workshop. You want to travel the world? Make a list and save money. I know you might fear failure, not receive enough support, or think you’re not knowledgeable enough. I know it’s easier said than done. I know that all of this has been said a million times before, but we sometimes need to remember that the opportunity is still there. We still have the chance to follow our desired path. We can always make room for what reminds us of our purpose in life. To all girls out there, let whatever makes you happy in, do whatever gives you hope, and dream. You deserve it.
