Many of you are getting ready to march across a stage or field, accept your diploma and begin the next phase of your life. Whether you feel excitement, nervousness, dread or some combination thereof, it’s certainly understandable. There’s a lot to think about, decisions to be made, pros and cons to be weighed.
Even if your time in high school has yielded mostly pleasant memories, you may be eager to see what it’s like to start over somewhere different, try new things and meet new people. Maybe you feel certain about what you want moving forward. Or maybe you have no idea what path you wish to follow, which dreams you wish to pursue.
Sit quietly and reflect. Write your thoughts down. Take the time for photos. Make sure to truly be present in the moments along the way, both big and small. Don’t be in such a hurry to get “there” that you don’t enjoy the journey.
However you feel about what may come next, try new things along the way, challenge your assumptions about your life and where you want it to go. And don’t forget to pause and reflect, stop and enjoy both the big and little moments along the way. Not everything has to be momentous to matter.