By: Jasmin Landa

Have you ever thought about what your life would be like if you weren’t going to college right now?

Would you be working at a part-time job, traveling, or relaxing on a lawn chair thinking about the things you want to accomplish?

The reason I find that question so intriguing is that while the human mind has the capability to dream and have aspirations for the future, it is also very susceptible to thinking of the past and dwelling on it. But at the end of the day, we can only live in the present and go forward. We gain memories and experiences from our past, and they shape who we are, but life moves forward not back.

Even though your past has had a lot to do with shaping who you are, this does not mean that where you came from and what you have done in the past determines the person you want to become tomorrow. It only takes one decision to change, alter, or ameliorate the life that you had in the past. It’s not where you have been that’s important, but where it is you are going with the dreams and aspirations that are within you.

If accomplishing our ultimate dreams was an easy process, the words “hard work,” “trying,” “sacrificing” and words of encouragement would not be used as often as they are. Challenging people’s utmost potential and breaking boundaries creates leaders, innovators, and phenomenal people. So what would your life be if you weren’t doing what you are doing? Well, it’s a thought that has escaped my mind. Today is only here for 24 hours, and the seconds will soon become minutes, and time will soon fly by, so live the life that you chose as you are the painter of your own portrait.