When I was around 6 or 7 years old I remember my mom telling me she would buy me ballet shoes if I scored full marks in my Math exam—at that time I had no motivation or enthusiasm towards the subject or school but I remember vividly working hard and revising every day leading up to the test simply at the thought of owning the shoes. I ended up getting a near perfect score and sure enough,I got the shoes. The story doesn’t end here though. I realised that there was no deep satisfaction or gratification when I received the ballet shoes as I had hoped, because the motivation to do well shifted from extrinsic to intrinsic. I was no longer working hard at school or challenging myself for the sake of material value, but for one person: myself. I believe with all my heart that the value of grit (passion and perseverance) has an unimaginable effect on the world.

The more we do things for ourselves, without constant support, the faster we see change. Not just any change, but groundbreaking results. To this day, I try to smile at the face of adversity and try to remain positive which helps me to move forward in life. When I was 8, I lost my sister and that was one of the toughest things to go through. The loss of a loved one is probably the most eye opening,traumatic experience ever—and it took many years to heal from it. I stayed gritty through all of it, and now as a 14 year old I’m confident,hard working and extremely ambitious for my life ahead. In 2022 there are many things to think about, the war between Russia and Ukraine, COVID, Climate Change, Racism,Gender inequality,Racism and many other global issues. This generation and the generations to come will be encircled by adversity but through remaining gritty and thinking positively I know there is a way out and into the light.

Growing up outside of my home country, and shifting locations every two to three years is a tough,daunting process met with many changes in my life—however, I have quickly come to realise that there is one thing that has stayed strong and influenced my actions all these years. My values. The concept of values is interesting in itself, each new experience,place and people I meet influences my values and it’s therefore a continuous cycle of change. From the lush,green coconut trees and simple houseboats of my small town in Kerala,India to the highly developed,dreamy city of Paris I have learnt the crucial significance of inclusion.

If each country that my family and I moved to had not opened their doors to us then we would have been left stranded. 

The human system is created to work in harmony and interdependence. If our interconnectedness is dissolved due to certain people’s narrow mindedness then it’s not just that one individual or community who is being affected but the whole world. One outburst leads to another and what started off as a local or small scale conflict quickly escalates to global attention and protesting. A thought that often occurs to me (which may seem odd, but serves as a powerful indication of this value), is imagining what our world would be like if there was nobody else but you. I’m thinking of one person surrounded by a vast space of land, the idea immediately sounds quite exciting. Who doesn’t want the whole world to themselves? Who doesn’t want to enjoy all the resources of the Earth? Soon enough though, the thrill wears away and a disconcerting feeling kicks in when we realise the huge responsibility and loneliness that this situation brings. Therefore,the value of inclusion is one that lies close to my heart and is a reflection of who I am and what I hope to see in the world.

Writing these words down is a form of catharsis and reflection for me. I have realised that values are like our personalities. Everyone has something unique, and they leave marks wherever you go.