5 Keys To Achieve Your Dreams
Good day everyone! My name is Nelsielene dela Paz, a proud alumnus of Iba National High School. It is my pleasure to be with you at your virtual moving up ceremony today. This is the moment that you’ve been waiting for, one of the most awaited events for you and your family. I know how you feel right now because this year, I was supposed to complete my degree in graduate school at UP Diliman, but this pandemic happens. But we place everything in God’s hands with hope that this too shall pass.
Allow me to share five (5) lessons to ponder upon which I‘ve learned through the years and helped me to be where I am now. I believe these lessons will also help you as you sail to your dream destinations.
First, PURSUE WHAT YOU WANT AND WHERE YOU’RE GOOD AT. What is your core skill or talent? I hope that by this time you’ve already discovered it. The beauty of doing what you want and where you’re good at is that it will keep you motivated and fulfilled. By doing so, you will not only improve in your craft, you will also bless other people.
The second is DREAM BIG. I invite you to declare your dreams aloud because I believe that God has already planted those dreams in your hearts, and it is meant to be fulfilled. Nothing should stop you, that’s what I did. I did not put limits on my capacity to dream because of my family’s limited resources. Instead, I feasted on God’s unlimited resources. He uplifted me and brought me to where He wants me to be. Young people, do not limit your capacity to dream. Libre ang mangarap! Your capacity to achieve your dreams depends on your capacity to believe that you can achieve your dreams.
Third is FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE. Surround yourself with people who will uplift you and support you as you fulfill your dreams. Learn and be inspired by people you chose to be with. I thank God for the life of my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Charismatic Community. They brought me closer to Jesus and I learned to keep my character and goodness in my heart intact. I thank God for my colleagues in my first work. They taught me the value of family, work-life balance, and being careful of who to trust. I thank God for my mentors, they helped me get my dream career. I thank God for my family for showering me with love, care, and support. I thank God for He is sovereign. He makes me want to become a better person everyday.
My fourth point is an invitation to FOCUS ON YOUR GOAL BUT BE FLEXIBLE ALONG THE WAY. Life is tough. As you age, the severity level of challenges in life increases that will either make or break you. Be vigilant. Anticipate those difficulties and be prepared. I want you to take those challenges as an opportunity to grow, mature, and be renewed. Instead of focusing on the pains, focus on the lessons that it will bring. Never give up. Keep moving forward.
The fifth and final point is COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Say thank you even on the smallest things; being woken up by alarm, kahit pa paulit-ulit na ulam sa hapag, yung kakulitan ng kapatid mo, yung mapang-asar mong kaklase, at iba pa. Believe it or not, those are blessings. Let me tell you a secret, GRATEFUL PEOPLE ARE HAPPY PEOPLE.
Let me repeat these points:
1. Pursue what and where you’re good at.
2. Dream big.
3. Find the right people.
4. Focus on your goal but be flexible along the way.
5. Count your blessings.
I hope that you learn something from this. I want to congratulate you and your parents on this very special day. I honor your teachers for their upbringing.
Congratulations! May your dreams come true 😊