“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.” -G.B. Shaw

“If you want something bad enough, you can make it happen.” We’ve all heard it. Some of us have grown up around the statement, while others have had it thrown at them to dismiss a complaint over various struggles and frustrations in life. It’s such a simple sentence, yet one that can have a powerful effect on the people who hear it. I spent countless hours tossing this statement around in my head before I finally came to the conclusion that everyone views it differently. Is it just meant to be a kind word of encouragement or a witty remark to silence another individual’s self-pity? Many people view it as a positive way to uplift someone in a difficult situation while others strictly believe that it’s just a harsh dismissal. It all depends on how you decide to process it- You can choose to use it in a positive way or you can put a negative spin on it if you so desire. Life’s circumstances are just the same; you can find ways to better yourself in difficult positions or you can choose to dwell on them.

For as long as I can remember, my parents have encouraged my siblings and I to follow our dreams and do whatever we desired with our lives. It has never mattered to them whether we grew up to become successful entrepreneurs or if one of us were to decide that we wanted to pursue a music career- as long as we’re happy with ourselves, they will be happy too. I always thought that I would be doing huge things with my life by now. I had all kinds of outrageous plans for my future-self. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my five year old self would have simply responded with “Famous”! As I got older, my answers became more specific. At nine or ten years old, I had convinced myself (and everyone around me) that I would grow up to work with NASA. By the time I was in high school, I knew that I wanted to become a doctor. As my circumstances changed, my plans for the life ahead of me did the same.

I never in a million years would have guessed that I would be here- advocating for my rare disease. Our circumstances are always changing, in both ways good and bad. No matter how much we plan ahead and prepare, we come face to face with struggles that we never could have seen coming. Every day, I set new goals for myself. I know that people probably see my goals as completely outrageous, but I’m okay with that. When I do prove my potential, it will be the sweetest victory.

I challenge all of you to set a goal that nobody would expect you to accomplish. Overcome your circumstances. Think of something that scares you to death. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be an airplane pilot, or want to go out of your comfort zone and share your life story in hopes of encouraging others? Be spontaneous. When you finally fly solo, you may find it to be the best thing that has ever happened to you.