Living in Nepal and trying to chase your dreams can be a daunting prospect. With so many of your peers leaving for abroad, either for work or for studies, those that do stay back in the country will undoubtedly find their share of doubts. But when you want to do something and someone says you can’t, it becomes your obligation to not give into the negativity and to prove them wrong. When you really want to chase your dreams, do not let someone else tell you what you can and cannot do.

If you want to be a footballer, you don’t need brand new football boots to start on your dreams. If you want to be a filmmaker, you don’t need expensive equipment, just a tiny phone can be a beginning. Start with what you have, give it your all and perfect your craft with whatever you have at the moment. In the end, all you need is hard work, patience and determination. Someday, the hard work you put in today will pay your bills. It is just that you need to find that something that you are passionate about. If you are engaged in something that doesn’t make you want to eagerly wake up in the morning, then in all likeliness you will not go far. But once you have found your true passion, chase it like there is no tomorrow. It might be simple, it might seem trivial to others, but if it makes your heart race with desire, you probably should be chasing it day and night.

Whichever path you take, always expect struggle. But despite it all, give it your everything and stay patient. To be successful in life, don’t keep your head down; do not do as you’re told to do, make your own rules. Be optimistic and don’t listen to pessimistic people. Always, always believe in yourself, and see the magic unfurl.

Shrestha is a +2 student at VS Niketan College