Three short years ago, I was looking at my blue graduation cap and thinking to myself: I have no clue what I am doing. Today, I look at my new red and white tassel and laugh. These past three years have been nothing short of amazing. There a few bumps (hills, bluffs, mountains) in the road, but each one led me to where I am now. And, as much as I didn't know what I was doing back when I graduated from high school, I have even less of a clue now.
I can't sit here and say that I'm am not scared. The truth is that I'm terrified. I am so excited to see what the future has in store for me, but from where I am standing, I can't see anything further than ten feet ahead of me. I am sure that I am not the only one. So, for those of you who are in the same boat as I am, here are 15 words of inspiration for you!
1. "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -Martin Luther King
2. "It's time to start living the life that you've only imagined." -Anonymous
3. "Look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future." -Jeffrey Holland
4. "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." -Michelangelo
5. "Around here we don't look backwards for very long... We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney
6. "Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one." -Disney Pixar's UP
7. "She took the leap and built her wings on the way down."-Anonymous
8. "All you can do is your best, okay?" -James Lucas Scott
9. "Either I will find a way or I will create a way; but I will not create an excuse."-Anonymous
10. "The best part about life? Every morning you have a new opportunity to become a happier version of yourself."-Anonymous
11. "Whatever you are, be a good one." -Abraham Lincoln
12. "Go into the world and do well, but more importantly go into the world and do good."-Anonymous
13. "What she tackles, she conquers." -Richard Gilmore
14. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -Winnie the Pooh
15. "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." -Anonymous
So, new graduates, don't go into this new chapter of your life timidly. Take a deep breath, keep your head up, and stay confident. Every step along the way may not feel right, but each step is important to finding your real destination.
Congratulations Class of 2017!