Graduation is a time when students officially enter young adulthood. It can be a time of excitement and worry. I remember the feeling of being lost at graduation. I had no idea where I was headed. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I had not discovered any real passions in life. I don’t even think I had any hobbies. The only professions I knew about were doctors, lawyers and teachers. My parents didn’t expect me to go to college and quite frankly, I didn’t either. I was misplaced. I felt a lot of anxiousness. Whether you are graduating from high school or college, I wanted to share ten lessons I’ve learned about life since that very uncertain time in my life. I hope my own uncertainty will inspire and empower you on your journey to find your purpose.
[Tweet “Lessons for the Recent Graduate”]
I read the following advice this weekend on Facebook® and thought it was appropriate to include here. This is advice from a father to his oldest daughter.
If I can give you some advice about how to deal with life, I would say attack life like you would a softball. Attack life and want life to to happen to you. Attack life like you are a second grader who has just been told that it is recess time. Remember life is not about the medals we win, it is about the relationships that we create while we are trying to get those medals.
~JHS Coach, Chuck Ponton
Lessons for the Recent Graduate
- You are here for a reason! At 18 it may be hard to understand and know what that reason is, but it will come to you. You may be here for multiple reasons. The most significant thing you can do in life is to discover, live and share your purpose. This is the thing that matters most.
- Find your passion and follow it. If you discover what feeds your fire, what makes your heart pound, what makes your eyes light up… and you are true to this passion, your life will be happy.
- Learn from everything you do. There are lessons all around you—good and bad.
- You will have failures. Failures mean that you tried something and that you learned something. Failures are nothing to be ashamed of.
- It’s okay to quit… as long as it’s for the right reasons. Don’t quit because something is difficult or there are challenges in the way. Quit because you know you are not benefiting from a certain experience. Quit because you know you are no longer meant to be there.
- You will have jobs and experiences that do not suit you or serve your purpose, but understand that they will prepare you for a better purpose. Know when it is time to quit them (#5).
- Serve. Don’t miss any opportunity to serve your fellow man. Service is rewarding and vital to your own purpose.
- There is no hurry. Life is a process. Every experience you have in life is what makes you the person you are. Missing out on these experiences (good and bad) is cheating yourself. The process is not a precise one… not on your time but in the right time.
- Chances are, your purpose will not be found by following a prescribed, straight line. Your quest will be filled with heart ache, mystery, challenges, dead ends and detours. Remain positive and devoted. Your purpose will come.
- Allow yourself to grow and spread joy and happiness. Make the world a better place to live in. Do at least one kind thing each day. Smile at people. Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Edited to add… - From my good friend since 1st grade—circa 1976, Thomas C. Graham: “A lesson I can add: Never forget the friends you make along your journey. The moments and time you share will forever be a part of who you are and every future friendship you ever have. No matter how many miles or years pass between you, it only takes a moment to pick right back up where you left off. You never outgrow your childhood best friends.”
The post, Lessons for the Recent Graduate, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.
