"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, it's to create something that will."

I've been thinking a lot lately: about my future, about my friends, about work, life in general. I've learned I have this fantasy for my life.  One where the people I've come to admire and look up to are asking how I've managed to make something of myself.  It's like that quote "work so hard that your idols become your rivals." I love that idea, not necessarily being rivals but achieving success that equals or even surpasses theirs. I want to take myself far enough that the people that inspire me want to meet me. That the people I've looked to for guidance know my name and are inspired by me. Maybe it's partially because we all dream of being BFF's with our role models, but it's more so that I want to impact the world in an extraordinary way. I want to leave behind a legacy, which I'm sure isn't too far from the mindset of many people in my position.  I truly do want to make a difference in any way I can. It feels right to me. It feels like it's something I was called to do. I was meant for it.

This makes me think of TFiOS and the mindset of Gus’s character. He wanted to leave an imprint on the world and towards the end I think he felt like a failure because he couldn’t reach far. But he was wrong. He changed lives on a smaller scale, but he did it. Anyway, I kind of have that dream for myself. I don’t think I’ll be disappointed if I don’t reach thousands of people. But I hope to have a positive effect on people. One of my favorite quotes says "I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say because of you I didn't give up." To be that person for someone else is the kind of motivation we all need, especially in today's world. I constantly see posts about the need for women to support other women, an idea I believe in and encourage wholeheartedly. But I also think we need to support each other, all human beings need to cheer each other on. We are all human. We have all suffered. We have all experienced pain and joy. We have all experienced hardship. No one person's challenges or triumph's are greater than anyone else's because in the end...we all end up in the same place.

Stop making comparisons. Stop putting yourself down and breaking your own heart. Stop lifting others to heights you don't think you can reach. Stop making excuses. Stop using all your energy to manipulate and hurt others to mend something within yourself. Life is not a game. It's too short to waste on self-doubt, insecurities and bullying. Surround yourself with people who only want to see you thrive. Build a support system and aim for the impossible. 

"We’re all in different jobs, but we’ve become strong friends who are there for each other—a sisterhood of girls, a support team."
-Karlie Kloss about her group of friends  

I’m hoping to be a writer. People always ask me what exactly it is I want to do with my writing and I still don’t have much of an answer. It’s a dream to be an author of a book or two, but right now I’m interning and so far I'm proud of what I've done. I’m thinking maybe I’ll be a freelance writer, but I’m sort of anxious about what else I’ll do in the meantime. I’m terrified of the idea of getting an office job and being stuck in it for the rest of my life. But at the same time, I see myself doing great things and doing things I never imagined. Anything’s possible right? 

                                                         Never forget the essence of your spark!
                                                                                         Maire