As the new school year begins and you approach everything you have on your plate, I hope you take time to appreciate and reflect on who you are and what surrounds you. You’re at a point in your life where change is constant. You’re more serious about who you are and who you ultimately want to be. This being said, something I hope you understand is that the person you want to become is technically already the person you are. You’re growing with her and you have the choice to steer yourself in the direction of her potential. That’s the good thing about time. Everyday you have the ability to develop your story. To grow, to learn, to live. Your path is only written until now, so keep paving a way that’ll make you become the best version of yourself. Here are a few things I hope for you as you as you continue to grow.
Learn from the negative.
First off, stop sweating the small stuff and embrace the speed bumps. No matter what situation, endeavor, choice, or experience you face, I want you to remember that it is always, in some way, enriching. If not enriching in fortune, then enriching in lesson. I hope you always cherish it all and find the most positive meaning. As your dad once told you, “Once you move forward, it will all be history and history doesn’t hurt you if you embrace the future.”
Keep an open mind and understand different perspectives.
Perspective is really important. Understanding situations other than your own and putting yourself in other people’s shoes is so influential when trying to understand your own life and your experiences. Be aware.
Be confident and don’t be afraid to connect.
Be confident in interacting with other people and connecting with them. Never lose sight in the importance of truly connecting with people. Whether it be through conversation, compliment, or even a smile, it all matters. Don’t lose your sweet soul to harsh circumstance, unless that circumstance doesn’t deserve it. Also, it’s okay to feel. I’m tired of everyone thinking that caring less wins. We’re selling ourselves short of being human.
Don’t settle for less.
Remember in Perks of Being a Wallflower, when Charlie says, “We accept the love we think we deserve.” Well, I know your interpretation of that quote was “We accept the life we think we deserve.” That way it applies to everything that you encounter in life. Know that you deserve what makes you feel content, what makes you feel like the best you. Settle for that. Settle for a good life – whatever that means to you and nobody else.
Give yourself a chance.
You’ve been hearing the phrase, “you never know until you try” since forever. Don’t be doubtful of your ideas and the endeavors and dreams you want. Similar to what I said before, you’re always growing, you’re always learning, and it’s your job to utilize that. Don’t diminish your talents or your capabilities.
Surround yourself with inspiration.
If anything, you surely know that a lot of who you are is tied to your environment. Therefore, surround yourself with things that make you feel alive, that makes you feel like you have a purpose and inspires you. What you do, what you choose, what you consume, is what you are.
Don’t rush.
Time is precious, cherish it and use it wisely. I know at times you just want to be at the next step in your life. Sometimes it’s good to move fast and sometimes it’s good to take it slow but know the right circumstance. Take the time to enjoy the ride, enjoy the journey, because time is something you never get back. Live in the moment, you’ll be in the next moment soon enough.
So self (and everybody else living on), I hope you remember these things as you continue to set forth on your path of self-discovery. Surely you will develop more of these values as you continue to experience life. In reality, no matter what age, we’re always in-progress, always learning, always developing, always becoming more. As Frantz Fanon once said, “In this world through which I travel I am endlessly creating myself”. Never lose the beauty of striving for more, of striving to be better. I believe it’s important to experience ups and downs on your journey, but ultimately you decide where that journey brings you.