JOURNEY OF A STRUGGLING BOY What it takes to live the life of your dreams (My Life Story)

Selling Roses during  Valentine's Day 2019

Life is an endless journey, and at every phase, we learn something new. Some things we are taught by the people around us, and some things we learn on our own. I have learned much of what I know on my own and I’m Still Learning. At the time of the writing of my struggling article, I’m today officially 25 and living in the city of Dimapur, Nagaland India.

Today, I will be sharing my experience of living my half of my life. I’m from a small town – a place where we know everyone’s face and everyone’s name – a place in which we greet one another with a smile.  Since childhood, I have been curious and enthusiastic about exploring and learning things that I have never seen or experienced before only because of my Aunty Ramita, who took me to new places around Nagaland when I was just 2-5 years old. My greatest source of inspiration is my Dad.  He is in his late 70’s, and whenever I see him, I always feel inspired to become the kind of person he is.

The great thing about learning from my family is that my morals and values have been cultivated in the chromosomes, and at the age of 25, I can proudly say that these morals and values have helped me become the person I am today. I am blessed with a 2 elder brothers. My eldest brother expired on 2015 at the age of 25 which was unacceptable. 

When we talk about Success or see the successful people around, we think they turned to the known stars overnight, but we forget to see and understand their continuous efforts, their struggling days and nights, their efforts, their positive attitude, their dedication and a feeling to turn every failure to Success. Becoming a helping hand and hope for many from the Crowd, itself a big achievement.

MY HIGH SCHOOL LIFE (2001-2012)

I was a quiet guy in class. I did my High School, ClassA-10, (2001-2012) from Godwin Hr. Sec. School Chumukedima, Dimapur Nagaland. Since my school days I always have been a quiet guy who just sit among the people but don't speak to much I was that type of Guy.

SCEONDARY SCHOOL LIFE (2013-2015)

The very first day on the year 2013, I went to Mount Mary higher secondary School Chumukedima, Nagaland and entered into my Secondary School classroom I saw many of my mates well educated and I got one of the scariest feelings in life is the realization that you are on your own. I accepted that, and I realized that I was going to have to make my life whatever I wanted it to be from my secondary School life.

UG COLLEGE LIFE (2015-2018)

In 2015 I moved to ICFAI UNIVERSITY NAGALAND for my UG Degree, Three years at ICFAI university made me a Reliable person and that is when I embarked on the journey to the life I am living in today.

PG COLLEGE LIFE (2018-2020)

Year 2018, it was not an easy decision to Study MBA (Finance & Marketing) from St. Joseph University Nagaland it was only with the help of my Dad and family I went to start building something from scratch.  The Article you are reading now is all about the life lessons I have learned during this period of time in my life, and what is it like to be a small-town boy in city, making a life of my own.

LEADERSHIP IN ME (2015)

In year 2015 when I just joined my college we had a new pastor at our church named Pastor Robert Aley, Nepali Baptist Church Chumukedima leadership was encouraged in a few big ways during my first decade in Youth life at Church. I was encouraged by him to do Leadership under him; he invited me to work with him in different places and area, and slowly I was recognized by my people for my community project. He was someone who has always has been there, through my ups and downs. He was the one that has always offered his shoulder when I am about to cry. This journey was too scary to walk alone but he was always there to back up me and made me a responsible Leader today.

LIFE AS AN LEADER (2015-2021)

Let me be honest with myself and with you when I first moved to Chumukedima Gorkha Youth & followed by Gorkha Students’ Union Dimapur, Dimapur Gorkha Union as a leader in the year 2015, also Executive member of Dimapur 24/7 and many more other Associations & union I ahe worked with.  It was an amazing experience. The feeling of freedom, the excitement of exploring a new place, new people and the feeling of walking around in a place where no one knew me were all exciting but very significant changes for me in my life. It took me years to adjust to our culture, the customs, and a whole new way of thinking. It was not difficult by any means, but it wasn’t an easy process either. As, time went on I came to learn many things about myself.

CHALLENGES FACED IN MY LEADERSHIP

Even being One of the most fun loving person  of the modern-day, My attitude and mental strength to deal with the people around has been witnessed by many persons on various occasions.

 However, it’s not all good for everyone every time, and in the same manner, I also would like to share my struggles back in leadership. Being open & clearly I say that I myself I Know how I dealt with depression after having a horrendous time being a leader of various Unions 2015-2021. I was not finding myself free from everything my heavy loaded work, my personal life, My education life and so on. And at the mean time getting so many things to hear about myself from the people whom I have worked for years & Years made me feel I'm the loneliest guy in the world’ and that feeling was really not good. I suffered a nightmarish year due to some personal attack on me and I felt like I'm never worthy for what I'm doing. And I think It’s not a great feeling to wake up knowing that people complain, point at your characters even if you give your full effort in whatever you do and I think all people have felt that at some stage that you are not in control of anything at all. There were supportive people in my life back then, when I felt like loneliest ever. Professional help was needed at that toughest phase of my life. Dealing with Counselor and studying Bible passage Psalm 42 and 43, I learned there is much hope for those who battle with depression and anxiety. Never give up and Always keep God at your First then miracle will happen to your Life.

PROBLEMS IN MY LIFE

Problems are a part of life, and they can come at any stage of life. Some problems will be big, and many of them will be small.  What I have taught myself, however, is that any problem I have today is a result of my actions in the past, and thus my future will be shaped by how I act today. There are times when we want others to understand us, and to understand, accept and even help handle our problems. But life doesn’t always work this way. Everyone else is busy with their own life issues.

TRANSITION OF THOUGHTS AND REALITY

The biggest fight for me was handling the initial transition. What I saw in my childhood and what I see now are two different aspects of life. The greatest challenge for me was accepting the transition and embracing a new reality. Helping other people to be happy is one thing.  But carrying someone else’s emotional baggage is a completely different matter. If you are a person who likes to see others happy, be a messenger and not a carrier!

CAREER DEVELOPMENT (2020-2021)

Started with nothing but because of Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020 luckily made me survived with delivery service. Even in the same year I met my best buddy during Covid19 lockdown Mr. Ren James who is now my business partner and also a well qualified person who encouraged me to be a young energetic entrepreneur. His guidance & support & wisdom are so satisfied that we end up opening a new shop named “LITTLE HUT” in November 2020. Currently, I am working as a emerging Entrepreneur and aiming to achieve more using the same platform. This year 2021 was also a great year for my career as I got opportunity to work in collaboration with Chumukedima Town Administration & Council dealing with Delivery service of essential Commodities, Ambulance service, Sanitizing House, Office Banks etc Services & Covid Care Goods Item Services.  My next target is to become a successful community service provider office in Chumukedima town. But when I look back, I realized the hard work and efforts I put to become a successful developer from the struggling trainee.  I am not ashamed in mentioning that I am the same person who was not able to understand anything in life, slow in study, Dump guy which was itself the big barrier in my Success which is now no more. When everybody announced me as the big loser, my inner self never accepted the same and that was the day when I decided to turn my every failure into a big success. That one thought and my passion to become Successful changed everything for me. I take all the challenges in a positive manner and start adapting myself as per the challenges today I am capable to help many because I understand how it feels when you want a single positive hope in your life but there isn’t any.

LITTLE THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED 1996 TILL 2021

• You are the boss of your life. You can either be a good boss or a failed boss. The choice is yours’!
• You know yourself better when you are on your own.
• Do things that make you happy, rather than doing things just to make others happy.
• Accept your shortcomings, and work to improve them.
• Life is too short to complain, so live it to the fullest.
• People who are part of your life today may not be there tomorrow. So, when you are with them, make the time memorable.
• You can’t make everyone happy, and you don’t need to. Find the people with whom you feel most comfortable, and live life with them like there is no tomorrow.
• Never depend on anyone but yourself. When you plan to make a life of your own, the first rule is to never depend on anyone or anything. Remember that the things you see now are bound to change. If you are emotionally connected, you will be hurt. Love everything, but don’t make it your life.
• Family is everything.
• Life is more practical than based on emotions.
• Never let others make a decision for you.
• Last but not least, you are writing the story of your future right now.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING 

I am not saying I am pro in What I do, What I speak, I am still learning a lot of things with my seniors, mentors, colleagues, and my juniors as well. I do not have any place for junior and senior ego. Life will go on and I’m happy to learn more and more until my last breathe.

By Jacob Sundas!