As early as I can remember, one of my mother Jackie’s favorite sayings to us kids was,
“Your life is what you make out of it.”
It’s a philosophy with which we grew up.
I interpreted this saying two-fold: that the experiences in your life are subject to your interpretation — if you see your life as great, then it’s great; if not, then it’s not.
The second idea was that your life is a blank canvas, and the masterpiece you create solely depends on you.
We were raised with high expectations in a self-deterministic home where “you make your bed, you lie on it” — that the events in our lives don’t control our lives, but our decisions do.
Growing up, we were given endless opportunities with little room for excuses. The mantra was, “the buck stops here.” Personal responsibility was the only option.
My choices directly impacted my life- that neither the government, society, nor my background was to blame for anything.
My friends grew up in similar households. I thought everyone grew up like this.
So, I was surprised to discover when I moved to Canada as a young adult, that was not the case.
Whether we like it or not, the ideas expressed in our homes shape our view of the world. Although according to my mom, this is just BS since my life ultimately is what I choose to make of it.
My mom also said, “Aim for the stars so that if you did not reach the stars, at least you’d land in the trees. If you aimed for the trees and did not land in the trees, you may end up in the mud.”
She wanted us to reach for the stars.
What are you aiming for?
What are some of your beliefs?