A man is but the product of his thoughts-Essay #Gandhi

I believe that we have control over our feelings.

Our feelings are a product of our thoughts. We may not be able to suppress  them but we may be able to convert them into motivation. The most absurd  thing about this is that our thoughts actually aren’t our thoughts.

They are our society’s thoughts.

In India, people believe that marks are everything. For at least 14 years of my  life, I used to believe that marks are everything. There is this constant rat race  around everyone where they feel the need to be the best. The number one!

Most parents pressurize their children so much because “what will the society think?” that sometimes children end up taking a wrong step. Numbers such as grades and salaries rule our life and damage our minds.

This is the thinking  that made me lie to my parents, my friends, my sister. I was so ashamed of my marks that I felt the need to lie to them. Why grades are  such a huge deal in our lives is beyond my understanding.

“ Do what you love,”

“ Think big,”

“ Nothing is impossible.”

These are the quotes we hear everyday and yet our parents and our family  members say that we won’t be able to get anywhere if we don’t get good grades.

My feelings towards myself, towards my people and my surroundings became  dull just because I was not getting straight A or A+. Our thoughts get so affected because of the social stigmas in the society that we end up disliking  ourselves.

Why do we constantly feel the need to prove ourselves?

Why is it that we can’t be happy for someone else?

Why is it that we always have to be the number one?

My sister says, “ Teenage years are kind to no one” and that is the most  relatable quote I have come across. Teenage years include a lot of insecurities,  bullying, confusion, finding yourself, exploring options etc.

In the  midst of all that, pressure from parents, teachers, school, tuition teachers, the SOCIETY ends up pressurizing a teenager a lot.

Lastly, one thing that I have learnt is to be kind to one another. That is one  thought that has shaped me today. The world is a very tough place to survive  in. The only way we can make it a better place is by being happy for our peers,  friends, family, family and strangers.

Why? Because, one smile goes a long way.