Everyone has dreams and ambitions. Things they want to do with their lives. I know that I do. Some seem realistic, like learning a new language or travelling and some are more complicated and seem like they could never happen. But we are told to believe in our dreams and set goals for ourselves. Someone once told me to write down a list of 50 goals for myself - things I wanted to do in my life and then try to work out the priorities and what I cared about most. I was 13 at the time and things have changed a lot since then but I wanted to share some of the things that were on my list:
I now know another language enough that I can have a conversation with other people, and although I haven't been to any Spanish speaking countries yet I am friends with an exchange student who was at my school a few years ago and has asked me to visit her as soon as I am able to.
I have not managed to stop the arguments or fix everything that may go wrong in my family but am learning that the arguments and troubles are not something I can fix. It is something I need to learn to deal with and accept but it is not my responsibility to fix it. I have done all I can do.
Some of the other things on that list have still not been achieved but are still relevant to what I want to do with my life. I still want to be able to help people and make a difference, and it is something I am trying to do daily. That difference does not have to be on a world scale or even a country or state like I imagined at the time I first wrote this list at 13. Now I have realised that doing small acts, such as giving someone a shoulder to cry on and being there for a friend can make a huge difference. Even just smiling at someone and giving them a compliment could change their future. You don't know what is going on in their mind or their life. Your kind act could help make the difference to whether they give up or find the strength to keep going
I guess what I am trying to say here is not to give up on your dreams and goals for life. The circumstances you are in won't last forever and one day, things that seemed impossible for you to achieve and you can only dream about could be within your reach. It is not always an easy journey but it makes life worthwhile. You have to want something and strive for something in life. If you don't, is life really worth living?
- Get to and finish year 12 with the marks I want
- Stop the arguments
- Make my family happier
- Do something fun with my life
- travel
- help people
- learn another language and go to a country that speaks that language
- make a difference
I now know another language enough that I can have a conversation with other people, and although I haven't been to any Spanish speaking countries yet I am friends with an exchange student who was at my school a few years ago and has asked me to visit her as soon as I am able to.
I have not managed to stop the arguments or fix everything that may go wrong in my family but am learning that the arguments and troubles are not something I can fix. It is something I need to learn to deal with and accept but it is not my responsibility to fix it. I have done all I can do.
Some of the other things on that list have still not been achieved but are still relevant to what I want to do with my life. I still want to be able to help people and make a difference, and it is something I am trying to do daily. That difference does not have to be on a world scale or even a country or state like I imagined at the time I first wrote this list at 13. Now I have realised that doing small acts, such as giving someone a shoulder to cry on and being there for a friend can make a huge difference. Even just smiling at someone and giving them a compliment could change their future. You don't know what is going on in their mind or their life. Your kind act could help make the difference to whether they give up or find the strength to keep going
I guess what I am trying to say here is not to give up on your dreams and goals for life. The circumstances you are in won't last forever and one day, things that seemed impossible for you to achieve and you can only dream about could be within your reach. It is not always an easy journey but it makes life worthwhile. You have to want something and strive for something in life. If you don't, is life really worth living?
