To Anyone Starting Something New…
To my daughter and all of the graduates!
Pull up a chair. Here’s what I want you to know and what I wish I had known:
Learn for the love of it. Get the B. Become a reader. Life is about relationships -widen your circle, say yes, put your phone down. Move your body because you can, not as punishment. Figure out what you believe. Not your parents’. Yours. Retire the word “should.” Sleep. I know. But really. Get good at the human stuff, that’s the future. Chill out. This too shall pass. Lead out. Be the first. And don’t forget, you’re still young. Be the fun. Make the fun.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to start.
I’m cheering for you!!
Learn. Actually learn. College matters and grades matter, but don't confuse a transcript with an education. Take the class that lights you up, not just the one that pads your GPA. Ask yourself what you actually care about and give that question real time. Be interesting and interested. Stay curious. Get the B. Become the kind of person who reads for fun, not just for the test. Set yourself up to be a lifelong learner. That's the whole game.
Life is about relationships. That's it. Pour into your friendships. Widen your circle to include people who don't think like you, look like you, or believe like you. Ask good questions. Become a great conversationalist. Be a people person- invite, and say yes when you're invited. Loneliness lives in your phone. A full life is found across the table from someone else.
Move your body, not as punishment, but because you can. Take the class. Try the new thing. Play the pickup game. Lift weights. Move to feel strong and capable and like yourself. Some days, exercise really is the best medicine there is.
Figure out your relationship with God. Not your parents' faith. Yours. What do YOU believe? What questions are you carrying? Ask them out loud. This is the season to dig deep, to wrestle, to wonder, to decide for yourself. You get to own this one.
Retire the word "should." What do you actually want? What kind of future are you reaching for? What's the best next step for you? Be brave and shoot for the stars- or don't. But stop doing things because you should. Do them because you want that life. Own your choices.
Sleep. I know, I know. But really. Go to bed. Get enough of it. Sleep touches everything- your mood, your energy, your willpower, whether a day feels hard or good. Choose sleep over one more episode, one more scroll. It can change your day. Honestly, your life.
Get good at the human stuff. What sets you apart is how you treat people and how you show up in a room. Learn to communicate clearly and kindly -out loud and on the page. Pay attention to your own emotions and everyone else's. Think before you react: check your sources, check your biases. Stay flexible when things shift, because they will. And learn to work well with people who aren't like you. None of this shows up on a transcript, but it's the future.
Chill out. Relax. This too shall pass — no season lasts forever. Almost nothing is worth that much stress. Take it in stride. Protect your nervous system, protect your brain. Breathe. You're okay.
Lead out. Be the first. Don't just follow say yes, sign up, raise your hand, try the thing nobody else will. Lead when it's uncomfortable. Especially then. That's where it counts.
You're still young. Have fun. Be the fun. Make the fun. You've got a whole life ahead of you, and it's going to be amazing and hard and beautiful and heartbreaking. So enjoy the easy afternoons. Travel. Laugh too loud. Don't rush past the good part.
You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to start. I'm cheering for you.
