I think we’ve all had the experience of writing down a New Year’s resolution, only to have it fall off the radar for another year. Then the next year comes, the same thing happens, and we end up never accomplishing that goal.
It’s easy to say, “Dream big and make it happen!” What’s not easy is to actually put it into practice. Sometimes it’s fear of failure that stops us; sometimes we just don’t know where to start. But you’ll never know what you can do if you don’t try. True failure lies in not trying at all. We all have dreams and goals, things we want to do “one day.” Throughout my life, I’ve learned we are capable of accomplishing some extraordinary things if we just take the leap: really, nothing is impossible.
Take a risk
When I started to dream, I dreamt big. Actually, very big: I decided to take a huge risk, put it all on the line. Moving to the USA meant leaving family behind, uprooting everything I’d ever known, and moving to a new country where I didn’t know a soul. The uncertainty of not knowing what to expect scared me profoundly, but I’ve always loved a challenge. The will to succeed suppressed my fears. It was exciting to learn and adapt to a foreign culture and expand my horizons. In the US, personal and economic growth was possible. With a will to succeed and unperishable enthusiasm, I felt I could overcome anything.
Though I was excited to take on this new challenge, in the beginning it was very difficult. Everything, everywhere, everyone was new to me. I questioned whether I could really live here, and the thought of failure scared me. As time went on, I gradually learned many things. There was a steep adjustment period for sure, but with time I started to feel more secure and happy. I started to feel at home here. Leaving everything and everyone I knew gave me the chance to build my own independence and see what I was really made of on my own. I gained confidence in myself, my career, and my life in South Carolina.
Moving forward to help others
Once I felt settled in my new life, I turned my attention to helping others moving here from the Middle East. It was important to me to give back and help my community. I opened a Facebook page for students and families first coming to South Carolina to help them adjust to their life and give tips on areas to live, stores, schools, and other helpful information—basically anything I wish I’d known when I first moved. I also have another Facebook page for people who’ve lost loved ones where I post a daily prayer every day. So far the group has over 580,000 members.
I didn’t stop here. Having lived in war for almost 20 years, I know how horrible it can be: I’ve lost close family members and friends to war, and others have been injured. I knew I had to give back to children who’d been wounded or needed medical care in the Middle East. I volunteer with Palestinian Children Relief Fund (PCRF). PCRF helps sick and injured children in the Middle East receive medical care for free. They also bring wounded and ill children to the USA for free medical care that they could not get locally.
Fear can be a good thing!
There’s often a huge, gaping unknown between where we are today and where we want to be. This gap can seem impossible to cross, but this is often just an illusion. When I came to the USA, I had only $1,500 in my pocket. I borrowed my airline ticket and paid half the money for an apartment rental. I was extremely scared, but I knew I had to take this risk for myself. In the end, it paid off: now I am a US citizen, I work at a large, successful company where I am a stock shareholder, and I give my time and energy helping others achieve their dreams too.
If life has taught me anything, it’s to never to give up on my dreams, even in the face of fear and uncertainty. I still have a lot I want to accomplish, and I know nothing will stop me. Pushing through fear has gotten me to where I am today.
