To the class of 2021 – congratulations! You’re a graduate, AND you’ve lived through a pandemic. There’s nothing that you can’t survive. Big round-of-applause!
Here are some lessons that I’ve learned throughout my life that I hope to pass on to you.
#1 Be you. Be only you.
However, you manifest in life. Meaning love who you want to love, how you want to love them, practice whatever faith practice you wish to practice. Wear what you want to wear. Identify how you want to identify. Raise your kids how you want; you don’t want kids great. Whatever job you feel called to do…do it (what you do for a living doesn’t define your value as a human). Just be you. Unapologetically YOU.
#2. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Doing this just gets you stuck and distracts you from your purpose and your ability to contribute to the world. Sometimes you will be ahead in your progress, and sometimes you will be behind. The only block to you reaching your highest potential is your unwillingness to go there.
#3 There is no one prescribed path to success.
It’s not a straight line. You will get knocked down. You will fall short. You will fail. Yet, the most valuable wisdom will come from hard-won lessons. Know that everyone has made mistakes on their journey through life. It’s not about the failure; it’s about how you recover from the error.
#4 You can be and do whatever you want if you’re willing to put in the work.
#5 Treat your body with gentleness and love.
It is the most fantastic vehicle you will own for the rest of your life. Be kind to your body. Be kind to yourself.
#6 It’s okay not to know at 22 what you’re going to do with the rest of your life.
When I went to college in 1994, I thought I would be a large animal veterinarian until I took Organic Chemistry (an experience that promptly ended my science career). I pivoted and tried something completely different – an internship as associate producer for a local news station. From that experience, I thought, “oh, I’ll be the next Diane Sawyer,” Right!? Wrong. Life threw me another curveball which landed me in sales, marketing, training, and promotions, for a corporate media conglomerate.
Then on January 20, 2009, at the height of the recession, I found myself caught up in a round of 30,000 layoffs – a defining moment in my career. As I explored what was next, I hired a coach who subsequently changed my life. The support and guidance of a personal coach helped me realize my passion for helping others and desire to make it a career. More importantly, I recognized how impactful and life-changing a great coach can be. This lived experience inspires and motivates me to share my unique gifts and talents to make a difference in the world. That figurative speed bump (a.k.a. “getting fired”) became the launchpad for my calling – becoming a coach. This what I was born to do, what I love, what I live for, but I didn’t figure that out until I was thirty-two years old.
#5 Listen to your inner wisdom versus your ego.
Wisdom whispers ego shouts. Figure out times in the day where you can quiet your mind, get out of your thinking brain, and connect with your heart, soul, and spirit. That is the space where all things are known and understood. The place of confidence and quietness and peace free from the noise, distraction, and endless chatter of the world.
#6 Seek opportunities to diversify your network.
Diversity assists us in deepening the understanding that there is no one “right” way to do things. When we listen and learn to seek a deeper understanding of other humans, diversity enriches our lives. We become more in touch with our humanity which allows us to connect to our shared humanity. Because at the end of the day, we’re all the same, and we all have value no matter how we show up in life.
#7 Practice being a better human by treating other humans better.
For thousands of years, systems of oppression, oppressive processes, and oppressive procedures have existed, fed on, and continued to live through the demonstration of dehumanizing behaviors, actions, and language. Educated yourself. Question all your conditioning, beliefs, and thoughts. Then from a place of love, begin to dismantle anything within yourself that does not contribute to the greater good of all living breathing beings. Modeling genuine inclusivity and belonging inadvertently gives others permission to do the same.
