"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals", a quote from Henry David Thoreau I like to refer to when I think about the extensive list of goals I set that I want to achieve in my lifetime. We all have goals and aspirations and I'm quite serious and determined, even, about my goals and aspirations. Life is so much more fun when you're able to work towards achieving something you've wanted for a while, wouldn't you agree? Why just live to exist, why not live and really "live" a life filled with a positive, optimistic approach towards whatever goals you're most passionate about; perspective is everything and the way I see it no one/nothing can stop you from doing the things you really love and making your life as memorable as possible.
How many of you have a bucket list? I started mine towards the end of my Senior year; getting closer to graduating and starting college soon definitely had me thinking about my future...A LOT. I couldn't help but imagine what my life would like within the next 10 years. I knew one thing for sure and that was whatever it consisted of, I wanted it to be memorable and filled with me living out some of my biggest dreams/goals. I believe in the power of manifesting the things you want and speaking them into existence and that's exactly how I feel about my top three current goals on my bucket list. For starters, the number one thing on my list is being able to spend New Year's Eve in Times Square and bring in the new year there. A few years ago, it really was a dream of mine to even visit New York and long and behold my dad surprised my older sister and I with a weekend getaway trip there, just the three of us. I remember being so excited that I would actually get the chance to visit somewhere so nice and extraordinary! I was in pure awe seeing the city for what it was, and even though the trip was short, I soaked in every second of it. And It's really crazy how things seem to come together because recently, my dad moved to the big apple for job opportunity; I remember how happy I was for him when he called me and told me that he was moving there and the excitement that ran through me at the thought of getting to visit. With Christmas break approaching, my main motivation getting me through the last couple of weeks of this semester is being NYC on New Year's, and getting to cross something off my bucket list at that---41 days and counting.
Second on my list, traveling outside of the United States. I love,love,love to travel. It's definitely in my top five things I love the most. If I had to pick one destination to visit, Paris, France stands out the most to me. I'd love to spend my time there navigating my way through all of the well-known sights to see, such as the Eiffel Tower, indulging in some sweet treats and good eats (yum!), and growing an appreciation for the fashion and artwork. After growing up in such a small town, I can't help but wonder what the rest of the world is like. I know it won't be easy making this trip like this, but I know it's possible and that's all I need to keep me confident in the fact that I will set foot there, one day.
My third bucket list goal, and this one may take a while to actually get started but it's something I'll be sure to accomplish at some point in my lifetime, writing my own book. I'm aware that this is something that could years to even complete, but I'm driven and it's definitely a key point I see in my future. I've been through quite a bit in my 18 years of living so far and I still have so much to experience and to learn. I'm striving to really make something out of myself; I want to be so financially secure that I'm able to take care of myself, my family, and even give back to others. In the midst of all the success I hope my future includes, I'd love to be able to give people a deeper look into who I am and what pushed me to the be that successful being I hope I am one day, because let me tell ya....things have been rough, but I find a sense of beauty in the life struggles I've had to face.
Back to what I said earlier about living to exist and living to really "live" there's another quote I'd like to end this off with. Oscar Wilde said, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist." Wake up each morning, set some goals, come up with your own bucket list, work hard and maintain a positive attitude to achieve those goals, and you will. Do you want to live a life and really "live" or do you want to just live a life and exist? You decide, because that's where it all start, with you.
