Gratitude

Good things lie ahead.

by Katie Welker

You can plan ahead all you want. You can take your time, be careful, pay attention to every detail, not overstep your boundaries, say and do all of the right things at the perfect moment and not miss a single beat. Yet you could still fail.  Things can still backfire, get thrown in your face, or simply fall apart. When that happens, it’s useless to ask yourself, “why did this happen, I thought I did everything right.” Life is sarcastically deceptive that way, it has a way of making sure that things don’t always end up the way you had them envisioned in your mind.

And in that moment it feels devastating, as if something has gone wrong, when in actuality, it’s just life’s way of testing you and making sure you’re strong, humble, and grateful enough to appreciate what is really in store for you. Good things lie ahead, don’t be misled by the temporary obstacles that are blocking your path. They go away, and in their place is something beautiful and worthwhile. Because the second that the devastation and pain get pushed to the side, one thing remains: hope.

A year of lessons.

by Katie Welker

I just turned 23 yesterday, and every time my birthday rolls around I tend to evaluate what has happened in the past year and what I’ve learned (i’m a sentimental, analytical weirdo like that). And the past year has been a whirlwind like no other.

I fell head over heels in love, I pushed myself to my limits with cheerleading, I gained irreplaceable friendships, I graduated college with honors and gave a speech in front of over 4,000 people, I earned my first full-time job, and I also had my heart completely broken. If that isn’t a roller coaster ride of a year I don’t know what is.

However, I truly believe it’s better to define a year not by the events that have occurred, but rather by the growth that you’ve endured and the strength that you have acquired through your circumstances.

I have learned this past year more than others that you have to be completely comfortable with relying on yourself. You have to look fear in the face and say, “screw it”, and take a risk – even while knowing that total failure is a major possibility. You have to say “no” to tasks that are meaningless, events that aren’t worthwhile, and people that aren’t uplifting. Get rid of the boring, the redundant, the untrustworthy and the monotonous. Rather, embrace the challenging, the quirky, the dedicated, and the passionate. Without them, life is just not worth living.