I am a hardworking person even though I am not talented or very intelligent. Among all my friends in class, I used to be the last one in understanding and memorising the texts. It took me a long time to understand the lessons, whereas others needed just one or two times to figure out the part when the teacher explained the lesson. However, I always stood first in class. I also won ‘Best Student of the Year’ title. Besides my studies, I was very frank with everyone. I used to respect my elders and seniors and love junior students. As a result, I have become a good teacher. In addition, everyone respects me because of my humble attitude. Finally, I want to say that no matter how mentally and physically poor or weak we are, we should never lose hope. Rather, we have to make efforts to make our dreams come true. We should accept our weakness but shouldn’t think it as weakness.

— Anonymous

I do not think I look beautiful — people speak bad about my appearance and I believe them. It hurts a lot when they compare me with my sister and compliments only my sister. If any party is organised, they invite only my sister and not me. Sometimes I envy her. I tried to change my get-up, hairstyle and everything about my looks, but I failed to impress them. But I have realised that it is of no use to waste time in such things. So, I stay focused on my studies — I am hardworking, creative, balanced and optimistic girl. It has helped me get good grades and at least I have been able to impress my teachers. I cannot do everything but there’s something I can do and I will definitely do what I can do. If people cannot accept me the way I am, it is not my problem. Instead, I want to acquire knowledge and higher educational qualifications. I have a dream to become special and useful to others which is unique about me. I am happy and I respect who I am.

— Subhamitta

I had never thought about my good qualities, other than my flaws. I used to be desperate to inculcate good qualities in me. Through counselling and personal reflection, I averted from my wrong decisions and headed on the path of success. I’m still doing it right now. I have a desire to become an ideal politician, but to stammer in front of crowds is total insanity. But I am practising and delivering speeches in public. Thanks to  one of my teachers that I have become a good public speaker now. My other stronger point is that I am good in writing Nepali articles. I write with full interest that even my friends get impressed. For me, my career is important and I want to make my parents proud. And these distinct qualities set me apart from others.

— Sarthak Giri, Balkumari

What I believe is that no one in the world is perfect in everything. One has their shortcomings. But it is the strong determination to overcome those shortcomings to move ahead for accomplishing goals is what matters. As far as I know myself, I’m a very emotional person who extremely values emotions and sentiments. Being emotional has been both my weakness as well as strength. Besides, I’m appreciative, capable enough to show appreciation and gratitude to others. This has been one of my biggest strengths which sets me apart and has helped me accomplish beautiful things in life which have turned into achievements. Inconsiderate people often displease me. I find them very offensive as they don’t care for others’ feelings and thoughts. I believe that every thought should be respected. So, I feel I am considerate who cares for others and their thoughts. This quality has brought people closer in my life. Also kindness is one of finest attributes. Moreover, I am outspoken, extrovert and sociable. All these attributes have immensely contributed me in developing and maintaining public relations which I regard as my plus point.

— Sandhya Dangol, Bhainsepati, Lalitpur

Everyone has their pros and cons, and so do I. If anyone analyses me, then I might not be perfect. However, there are some good attributes which sets me apart. From what I was, I have become buoyant, conducive and benevolent. I’m proud to say that I have a handful of friends. Today I’m working in an organisation where I have set myself apart from the crowd. Being supportive of others has helped me gain the trust of my colleagues, and my confidence has helped me to move forward. I believe this brighter side of my life are the richest assets in my life and shall take me further.

— Suvekchhya Upadhaya

Being optimistic, living in the present without worrying about the future, being honest to myself are some of the good aspects in me. Honesty is the best policy and this is the principle I live by. Leading my life with honesty has led me to success. I’m also a kind person by nature with a sensitive heart. So I can’t stand the suffering and pain of people. Even though I’ve less access to help them fully, I opt to contribute a certain amount of my earnings to help them. The immense satisfaction and happiness that I get from helping them cannot be compared to anything else.

— Subha Dangol, Bhainsepati

I have never been satisfied with what I have been given. I work harder to bring more satisfactory result. ‘Never be satisfied, work for more’ is my mantra. Setting least expectations has helped me to adapt to reality. I always expect very less from life so that when I overcome my expectations, I feel overwhelmed by joy. I like to stay alone in my own world where I talk to myself and where the outside world does not influence me whatever the condition. These attributes make me different from others.

— Anonymous

Lots of changes have taken place in me. In the way I was five years ago and the way I am today, there is a drastic change. Anger is my weak point. I get mad at people easily but I calm down quickly as well. Time heals everything. I am hardworking, determined and confident. When we meet people they talk about money, status, what they are upto and all those stuff. People are so busy in their life that they fail to see the real things of life. People are obsessed with money these days. But the way I see things and understand is something that set me apart from others. I left so many people on my way and so many people have left me, maybe due to career choices or other stuff. But life still goes on. The maturity to understand life and working with full dedication to achieve my goals set me apart from other people.

— Nikita Shrestha, Udayapur

As every person has learnt and overcome their defects before reaching their destination, I started identifying, accepting and learning from my flaws like hesitating, not listening carefully, not facing failure, dreading future, et cetera. In spite of various stages like family struggle and entry into the military job to overcome family issues, I developed positive perspective and good attributes like learning attitude, risk taking capacity, faithfulness to parents and educational growth which have convinced me to carry on in life with hope. Now I am preparing for final examination of my Chartered Accountancy Course, which I started six years ago after resigning from a permanent job that I had held for five years.

— Sunil Prasad Silwal, Ghattekulo, Kathmandu

It is a fact that every human in this world is different from one another and I’m not an exception. What sets me apart from others in the world is the way I am — I love to give advice, support and help others especially those who behave well with me. I feel that I am just doing the task which I am supposed to do. It’s also a way of making sure that we can develop a healthy relation with people whom we advise, support and help whenever they are in need. I am guided by a famous English proverb ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’ which has really made an impact in my life.

— Pratik Shrestha, Buddhanagar, Baneshwor

I am where I am because I am kind to others. I am helpful. I was a hardworking girl at my school in Inaruwa that I was chosen to study at Rato Bangala School in Kathmandu. After this, I will be a good doctor and treat people that come to my hospital. My father and my mother also told me that I should be a doctor. I wish to make a big hospital where I will have some nurses and treat people.

 — Isha Mehta, Grade II student

I am a respectful girl. I also work very hard. I do all my homework and I also help my friends and my sisters. I also help teachers in our school and our hostel. In the future I want to become an important person — I will become a nice and helpful doctor and treat sick people in the hospital.

— Anshu Uranw, Grade III student

I have many good qualities. I am good in jogging even though I am not good in running. I study hard and I have lots of knowledge. I am very fast at working. I love dancing and doing the splits. I am good in Nepali language because I understand what the teacher says to me. I am proud of my skill in gymnastics because I can do somersaults nicely. I would like to do ballet but I don’t know how to. I think I will learn how to do ballet and be an expert ballerina.

— Rebecca Rai, Grade II student

Different people have different kinds of attitudes, and attributes which set them apart from each other. As a person I have always seen myself as a sweet, caring, friendly, open minded and understanding girl. But on the other hand I do possess some flaws as well. For instance, whenever I get angry, I just can’t handle it and lose my temper easily which I regret a lot later on. I also have the bad habit of trusting people easily. I believe if I am good to others, then the other person will also be good to me. I see others as how I am to them. I have always believed in doing good in life. I don’t believe in being greedy and egoistic. I just try to do every possible thing selflessly for others. I believe in spreading happiness, love and peace around me. Also, if I am disturbed with something or someone, I just try to let go of the situation and move on. I believe in forgiving because it is not that I want to prove myself a great person but I feel God is above all and He will do the needful for us. Due to these qualities and positivity in me, I have always been admired and loved by people with whose help I have become who I am and where I am today.

— Tejaswi Pahari, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur

Every dark side has one small bright side as well. Similarly, I believe that I have some in me. The way I cooperate with people and the way I socialise with them has helped me achieve a lot in life. Making friends and knowing people have been a great source of information in many fields. Being able to maintain good relations is one of my qualities which I myself really adore, because from their love and support I have overcome many things in life. Sometimes misunderstanding breaks people apart because people find a big deal to apologise. I have never broken up with people because of misunderstanding because I don’t feel small to go in front of a person and apologise. In fact, it makes me feel better to patch up with the person again after learning from my mistake. These are the only things that have made me who I am today.

— Sujina Dutraj

Everyone is incomplete. No one is totally good or bad. Everybody has both qualities. I too have both good and bad qualities but there are some distinct qualities which separate me from others and give me different identity. Hard work is the best quality that helps me achieve my goal easily. I perform my tasks in available time. I have good communication skills. I can convince people easily. I like to help people in need — whatever the situation and matter I always support the needy people. I am a good social worker in my society. I participate in every social programme and activity. I like to study a lot and this interest helps me to gain my educational qualifications. Good habits and good qualities have always helped me to challenge difficult circumstances of life. These qualities and habits have also encouraged me to achieve better future and build my career.

— Sunita Khatri

The quality I find good in me is taken as flaw by others. I communicate less and communicating less doesn’t buy me a good social image. Some have even given me the tag of egoistic and a person with attitude. People tell my mum that I am gloomy and arrogant. But that is not the case. I’m not egoistic, I don’t have an attitude problem nor am I arrogant. I just communicate less — it’s radical but not wrong. I’m a listener more than a narrator, a writer than more a speaker. And that’s me. Besides, I adore attention to details — going after the smallest of things, noticing them and keeping them in mind. I enjoy acknowledging and understanding things, observing them rather than just seeing. And that’s me.

— Araksa Prajapati

Waking up early in the morning, reading national and international news with the help of Internet, good relationship with my friends who have always supported me, optimism, and lastly hard work are my mantras to my successful life.

— Saroj Wagle, Dumarwana, Bara

I deal people with a smile and politeness which generate positivity in the environment and I get the same kind of positivity from others too. In today’s context, people have a hunger for true appreciation, which motivates and energises them. I appreciate people for their goodness and I have got an overwhelming responses from them for my goodness too. I am a good listener. I love to reflect on things before reaching any conclusion. So people love to share their experiences and problems with me which has made me the best among my colleagues.

— Bishnu Subedi, Kalopul, Kathmandu

Success doesn’t mean the absence of failure; it means the attainment of ultimate objectives. It means winning the war, not every battle. A very few people may have succeeded by accident, but most of us suffer through a lifetime of frustration and unhappiness. If you think you are strong, strong you will be. If you think of yourself as weak, weak you will be. Both strength and weakness are a state of human mind. So, teach yourself to be strong. All good and divine qualities are strength and bad qualities are weakness. We should always keep in mind that some of the qualities in us are our strengths while others are our weakness. Ability is strength, while inability is weakness, courage is strength, cowardice is weakness, dignity is strength while disgrace is weakness, efficiency is strength and inefficiency is weakness, faith is strength while doubt is weakness, intelligence is strength and foolishness is weakness and the likes.

— Surendra Poudel

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

If you have noticed, many go out of their way, some even aggressively, publicising their work on social media for recognition and appreciation. Be it their charity work or photographs or write-ups, you come across such publicity a lot. And there are people who refuse to talk about their work, which could be Oscar-worthy. They want their work to speak for itself. Do you think in today’s day and age, if one wants attention for one’s work, one must absolutely blow one’s trumpet, or that genuine work/talent will be recognised regardless?

Send your replies in not more than 200 words by Friday, September 23 by 2:00 pm to Features, The Himalayan Times, e-mail: features@thehimalayantimes.com