Working in a nursing home I hear a lot of odd things come out of many elderly people’s mouths. They will tell me that it is chilly when the temperature is 90 degrees, they will tell me they’re tired when they sleep constantly; Hell, some of them don’t even know what year it is or they’re own name for that matter. But despite all of the odd things that they tell me, they are full of amazing stories, beautiful memories, and endless amounts of wise advice.

As I was nearing the end of the shift one day, I was talking to a few of the woman about advice. I told them, “If I were to leave tomorrow, and you were never going to see me again, what advice would you give to me?” Many of them said things like “never get married”, “be kind”, or “stay in school”. Then one of them told me “All you need to do is to make something of yourself”. That one stuck with me when I left and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. What do people mean when they tell us to make something of ourselves?

Many people may assume this means to be successful whether it be with fame or fortune. But for some reason I feel like that small piece of advice holds so much more value. When I think about making something of myself, I think about creating myself. Creating who I am and who I want to be, not only for me but to help other people. I feel like making something of myself means to bring importance and love and compassion into peoples lives that you cross paths with. Making something of myself is determined on the love I have shared and the difference and impact that I can make on people. Making something of yourself is making your life worth it. Loving the life you live and radiating happiness through you. It is not measured by the money in your bank account or the career that you have. Set goals and achieve them, meet people and befriend them, and see problems and help to solve them.

You can make something of yourself by your own self-fulfillment and not what society determines is successful. Do what makes you happy and help others along the way. You will create yourself and make something of yourself that can make a big difference.

My old ladies told me to “make something of myself” and I cannot wait until I do.