India, Nov. 2 -- Who's your best friend? Mom? Classmate? Spouse? May I propose that you, yourself, should back yourself to the hilt? You alone can be your own best friend, except perhaps someone up there.

Many youngsters today seem hell bent upon criticising themselves uninterruptedly, mainly in their own minds. Unending overthinking about their weaknesses results in a situation wherein anxiety and lack of confidence become primary personality traits. Identifying themselves with their shortcomings becomes almost second nature to them and they tend to sink deeper into the whirlpool of despair.

Take the case of seventeen year old Malika (name changed) who is a student of Class 11 and who seems to think that admission to one of the Indian ...