Teaching and coaching at the collegiate level has taught me many many things. One thing in particular that has continued to repeat itself to me is that the world is full of missed opportunities. Now I don't mean the opportunities that we miss because we didn't see them in front of us, I mean the opportunities that we refuse to see or maybe we are too afraid to jump out and grab them.
If I could say one thing to this upcoming generation (yep that makes me feel old) I would say to make your dreams happen! Yes, I know that we have all heard that exact line in a graduation speech or read it in a self help book but honestly think about your dreams. Have you made those dreams happen? If you haven't think about why not, you have to honestly think about why you didn't make them happen.
I also want to tell all of my students to not be afraid to let your dreams change! Sometimes we get tunnel vision on what we want to achieve and we forget to look around and see the other things that bring us joy. If your end goal changes, that's ok!
Now I have had many of my students come into my office and tell me all about their hopes and dreams for after graduation. They come in with amazing plans and opportunities and yep, you guessed it they change their minds all the time about what to do. I love that they have so many opportunities and I encourage them to explore each and every opportunity. Often times the ones that seem like the greatest opportunity tend to be the ones that they are the most scared of taking. Sometimes you just have to swallow that fear and jump, who knows it could be the greatest thing you've ever done!
Working at an all women's college has opened my eyes to another side of missed opportunities. I hope and pray that Mike and I's relationship can serve as some kind of reminder to my students that you can reach for your dreams, you can have a career and you can have love. So many times I watch girls with amazing dreams push them aside from fear that they can't have it all. But you know what I think, actually what I believe? I believe that anyone who you are in a relationship with should support your dreams, they should encourage you to take chances that will allow you to grow as a person, they should celebrate with you when you are offered something amazing as a result of your hardwork...and the flip side of this? You should do the same for your significant other!
Love should be about growing together, not forcing each other to stay the exact same way that you were when you met. Call me crazy that I think growing in my dreams with someone by my side that supports me is way better than waving goodbye to opportunities. I feel so lucky and blessed that Mike is so insanely supportive of me! If someone doesn't share in your joy of your dreams, there is someone else out there for you, someone who will share in your excitement!
Sometimes you have to be your own biggest fan.
Sometimes chasing your dream will be really hard or lonely.
Sometimes no one else will "get" your dream.
Sometimes you'll hit a fork in the road of your dreams.
Sometimes your dreams will change.
But God will always be there, not just sometimes, all the time.
So follow your dreams, take the path that your heart leads you down because sometimes you might just get what you've always wanted or even better you might find exactly what God has in store for you.
And along the way don't forget to look around and thank all of the people who are rooting you on and supporting your dreams. I know I owe a huge thank you to Mike but also to my parents. My parents may not have understood my dreams when I was going through college but they supported me. But even more importantly they showed me what a truly supportive relationship looks like. Both of my parents made compromises to support the dreams of the other, they made equal compromises! They showed me that hard work pays off and if you work hard enough and follow your heart you can have love and your dreams.
Love y'all!!
If things get tough on your path remember you always have someone to turn to :)
No comments:
Post a Comment