Would you agree that this has always been the question?
Such a simple concept from our friend William Shakespeare. I will not however mention that anything about Shakespeare is simple to my fifteen-year-old High School Freshman, she just had to memorize one of his Sonnets.
From the time we are young children, we are often asked, what do you want to “be” when you grow up. For some this is easy and they know early on what they want to do as an adult. Others may have a more challenging time with this question. My sister, Lisa who cowrote Tiny Life Changes with me knew from an early age that she wanted to be a Pharmacist. She went to school for this and still is a Pharmacist, she also is a health and wellness Liaison outside of the pharmacy.
When I was asked what I wanted to be, all the way up to and including in college, I could not identify something specific that I wanted to be. I knew there was something meant for me but I couldn’t put a label on it. I had to answer an interview question recently that asked, “when you were younger, what did you want to be” and my answer was, “someone who would make a difference.”
Who would have ever known that a breast cancer diagnosis at age 35 would give me the answer to what it was I would be. The answer is the Founder of the nonprofit organization the Happily Ever After League, which supports moms through Cancer recovery and a Life Coach.
For many years when I didn’t have an answer or label to this age-old question, I realized there were many things that I still could be. These are perhaps the most important things that you can be.
Each day you can wake up and be a better person than you were the day before. You can be kind, be the best version of yourself and be a good friend. You see, you will be remembered more for the amazing qualities that you possess versus what your job title was.
To achieve your highest good you have to be curious, be brave, be a risk taker, be prepared and be passionate. When I think about how I would like for my kids to go through life my hope is they will be confident, be enthusiastic and be grateful, always.
So in life, being is just that. It is who we are at the end of the day. It is what we can reflect on and think about in regard to leaving the world a better place than we found it.
So go and be amazing! Shakespeare, we may have just found the answer to your question.