I don’t hate my current self, but I know there are aspects I need to improve and dreams I want to achieve. I don’t want to become content with the mediocre life I’m living. I want to do more, see more, experience more, and be more. I refuse to settle for an under accomplished life, simply because I won’t step foot outside of my comfort zone.

Since childhood I’ve had ridiculous dreams, but the fact that they might be hard to accomplish doesn’t stop me from doing everything I can to accomplish them. Since my freshman year in high school I’ve known exactly what career path I’ll take and since then I’ve been building my academic resume. Staying up endless nights studying will pay off eventually, because one day I’ll be recognized as a doctor. One day I’ll travel the world and one day I’ll have the privilege of being someone’s wife and someone’s mother. Until those amazing days are here, I strive to puzzle the pieces together that will put me in a position to achieve all my wildest dreams. Mainly, I intend to work on my character.

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself.” - Walter Anderson

The person I want to be is forgiving. Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts one can give another. Forgiving someone who has done me wrong shows that I can overcome my internal battles and release all the negativity in my life. I’m so bad about holding grudges against people, but I’ve realized that all the energy it takes to feel hatred toward someone can be used to better myself instead.

The person I want to be is resilient. Despite all the curveballs life pitches at me, I want to be able to come out of the setback better than before. When something doesn’t go my way I want to be able to quickly recover and move on. I don’t want to spend time dwelling over situations I have no control over. I want to trust God and His plan for my life and know that what he has in store for me is so much greater than I am capable of imagining.

The person I want to be is selfless. When I see someone else struggling I want to be able to wholeheartedly give that person whatever help I can. Whether it be my enemy, my friend, or a stranger, I want to be a servant. I am no greater than any other person and no person is any greater than myself, so in a selfish world I strive to be selfless and love others more than myself. I want to give my all to someone without expecting anything in return.

The person I want to be is steadfast. Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs, but I want to remain true to my own, regardless of what others think. Being stubborn isn’t always the best option, but when it determines a person’s ability to choose between right and wrong then I definitely would rather be stubborn than let my faith waiver and follow the crowd. God, let me stand out for You so that when people see me they see You, as well.

God, change me and mold me into a better version of myself. Help me be better than before, because I want nothing more than to please You. I know I have this plan for my life developed, but God if it isn’t your will then don’t let me have it. I give it all to you, because if nothing else, the person I want to be radiates Your love.