If there is one thing I have come to know, it is that we have a limited amount of time on this Earth and that we should spend those limited days doing things we love and doing things for others as well.

Lately, I have been thinking more deeply about the concept of mortality. I couldn't really tell you why, but it has been on my mind. Maybe it is because of the recent catastrophic world events or the senseless school shootings in the United States, or maybe it is because I am constantly reminded that our time on earth is merely temporary.

Mortality is hard to talk about; it can be a difficult pill to swallow when you think about time and that we can never gain that back again. However, that alone gives me motivation, the fear that I will not be here forever. It motivates me to be a good person during my existence on Earth. I realize that I want to leave a legacy behind that represents what I love: people.

While I am here, I want to help people throughout the challenges in their lives. I want to be an advocate for those who cannot speak up for themselves. I want to support those who feel like they have no one to support them. I want to spend my time dedicating it to others and for others. Leaving a meaningful legacy behind is already so important to me.

At one point, I was thinking about mortality, and I realized that I would want to look back on my time here and be able to say, "This is what I did for others." That the legacy I left behind is something that would impact so much more than myself. We are all merely trying to get through life in the best way possible. We each have our own set of challenges, unexpected life events, and our own triumphs too. We tend to forget that we are all going through the same system, living life on Earth, orbiting around the sun for 365 days each year.

We have a tendency to get caught up in the mundane day to day lifestyle that we forget what is actually important to us. There are many moments where I pause and reflect that in the midst of my hectic day, and I realize I have failed to call my mom back. (That's when you know you've messed up!)

Now that I have come to this realization, I try even harder to balance my life. There is a time and place for stress about schoolwork and studying for exams, but there is also a time to see and talk to people that matter to you. I cannot simply look at my college years just to brag about the incredible grades I got.. I want to brag about the people I met and the memories we created together. I want my limited time here to be memorable and purposeful.

So while I am here, I will be asking myself what I can do to help others. I hope you will find your personal mission to motivate you throughout all 365 days, 8760 hours, 525,600 minutes each year, and throughout the rest of your life.