The Path of Self-Discovery: Navigating Life's Complexities

Part 1 : The Beginning of My Journey

I was born in Zaghouan, Tunisia, in the exciting level of the city, with its animated streets and regular houses all forming the backdrop of my early years. I may have been a city boy, but my heart truly belonged to the glorious natural beauty of the hills and fields surrounding me. My parents were kind and loving and I had a happy childhood, protected from all the twists and sharp turns in life. I spent my free time playing with my friends and adventuring in the countryside, haven taken the luxury of not thinking about a future that so quickly cast aside me during my teenage years.

As I matured, I began facing the stark realities of existence. No amount of loving protection from my parents could block me from the all-presence of abuse - which I was starkly aware was sometimes a mere expression of "human," but which I would clearly frame as evil. I first witnessed it in the evil acts of people doing harm to other people, being cruel, and using intimidation and fear to control the weak ones around them. I saw this in the way higher status classmates treated their subordinates - they were always at the mercy of a stronger classmate's aggression towards them. I was stunned and confused at the violence - by violence I mean the absence of kindness - in society and struggled to understand an adult's heart to be so cruel.

There were many things that I have experienced; however, I was not going to let my negative experiences defeat me. I summoned the willpower from deep within and fostered a ferocious self-reliance and determination to succeed. It was through the act of never giving up and never quitting that I have regained my inner-resilience and capacity to resist and overcome anything.

Building self-reliance was really important to me; and one of the ways I achieved that was with self-defense. Being tall and physically stronger than my peers meant that I found myself in spots where I had to defend my self and my own boundaries. Through martial arts and other physical training, I learned ways to harness my own strength, not to dominate others, but to defend myself and those I care about.

As I became more aware of the physical aspects of self-defense, I also opened a door into that darker element of human behavior, as well. I had become aware of how quickly we could become aggressive, violent, and less than desirable human beings. Instinctual behavior, when clouded with stress, anxiety, and conflict, will compromise rationality in a hurry. The experience was humbling and empowering at the same time, and it enriched my disposition when considering the importance of self-control, emotional regulation, and other aspects of human behavior in our daily lives.

This journey has allowed me to work on a more resilient mindset, and I realized three routes to success and recognition in our society. One surprising option provides tremendous advantage and makes success more accessible, which is being born into wealth. Another more superficial advantage allows one to acquire success based on attractive facial and body features. Thirdly, we have the not-so-easy approach of achieving success based on your own hard work.

Sure, being born into a family of money and having attractive physical attributes can surely give someone a few good leg ups in life. However, the deciding factor of whether or not someone simply exists versus someone truly thrives is the third factor, which is hard work and a desire to improve oneself and to always be learning and self searching and ultimately ignoring when the going gets tough.

Furthermore, I would also like to emphasize that success and recognition in society do not mean that you have to make and accumulate money. The second, but equally important, part of recognition in my opinion is that showing your impact in the community, profession, or passion you are involved in makes you realize your success. At least until you realize what truly makes you feel like you are having an impact in life, and what is the driving force that leads you to your pursuit, and the drive towards greatness.