As the 2021 school year is coming to a close, I’m preparing to (finally) move on to the next chapter of my life. Here are my parting words to my fellow 2021 graduates:
So here we are, NOT in a car, thankfully, because I was not particularly looking forward to a driveby graduation. Who would’ve thought about 5 yrs ago this is where we’d be right now: graduating 13TH GRADE in the midst of a global pandemic. Certainly not me. But that’s what’s exciting about life, you never know what’s around the corner, and although the unknown might be scary to some, it’s all about how you choose to see it. Fear and excitement originate from the same bunch of nerves. The difference is how you channel that energy. You see, you can choose your point of view.
I used to lay in bed anxiously obsessing over what the future would bring, thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong. But gradually over time, my mother’s mantra rang louder and louder in my head, “You can have fear, or you can have faith, but you can’t have both.” I’ve come to realize my perspective is my choice. I can choose to stress over all of the “what ifs.” Or, I can choose to have faith. That whatever I’m going through is happening the way it’s supposed to be. The way it’s meant to be.
How you feel is directly connected to your viewpoint. When you change your perspective, you have the power to change the way you feel. This requires us to be intentional with our thoughts and feelings. Intentional to slow down and notice how we feel. Although we’re driven by our emotions, many people aren’t even aware of them at any given moment. We’re moving too fast, piling on too much, and aren’t taking the time to be still long enough to check in to see how we feel. It’s important to recognize how your point of view is impacting your feelings. And if your perspective is helping you or hurting you. Then, redirect your thoughts towards what you do want instead of festering over what you don’t. Or focus on what you’re grateful for instead of grumbling over what you’re unhappy about. This practice over time will train your brain to choose a point of view that works for you instead of against you.
Life is ever-changing. And these changes are going to stretch, twist, and turn us in all sorts of directions. Now, you can choose to resist change, or you can choose to embrace it. But, the sooner you embrace it, the easier and more fulfilling life will be. Recognizing each new venture as a learning opportunity that will bring us closer to reaching our purpose will allow us to appreciate and make the best out of life’s changes. As my dad always preaches, “change is the only constant in life,” so why waste time and energy resisting something that’s bound to happen anyway?
Sometimes things go as we planned, and other times, the universe has something else in store for us. Life isn’t happening to us, but we often think it is. Life is just happening, and we’re just in it. This we have no control over, but how we react to it is our choice. Life is 10% of what happens and 90% of how we react to it. Our reaction is determined by our mindset. A point of view we can choose. So the next time a pandemic brings your plans to a screeching halt, instead of dwelling on things not going your way, shift your thinking and remember the universe has one of three responses to every situation: Yes, to what it is you desire. Yes, but not yet. Or no, there is something better in store for you.