“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis

When I was first introduced to this quote, I was finishing up my junior year of high school and I was completely overwhelmed — overwhelmed with school, future plans and just life in general.

Sometimes days can just go like that; they seem completely full and overloaded with things you never think you’ll complete. It’s almost like you’re the ground and life is the rain and the next thing you know, flood warning are being issued.

I have to remind myself of this quote daily, though, because the stress is still here and life is still overwhelming.

Notice that I said “still.”

I’m still here, alive and breathing and thanking God daily for another day.

I made it through each day looking forward instead of looking back because I knew that’s what I had to do.

See, when you keep looking back and reminding yourself of what could have been, you’re asking for a life full of stress.

I am a prime example of this.

Senior year is by far the hardest year of high school I’ve had so far. I went into it with a positive outlook, hoping for the best, only to leave school with homework in every class and tests the next day.

Talk about a flood? This was more like a monsoon.

After a few weeks of complaining, sulking and being completely miserable, I realized that I had done everything I knew to do to help myself and I had a choice: keep this same attitude and feel like this 24/7 or look forward and be thankful for each day.

Choosing to look forward and await what life throws my way changed my life around faster than I ever thought possible.

Life is stressful, but I don’t look at it as being impossible to get through anymore.

I have a lot to do, but I give myself time to process everything that has to be done and complete it at the pace I need and still manage to get it turned in on time.

Days are still hard but I keep faith and understand that one day doesn’t define all others.

I realize now that twenty years from now, I don’t want to look back on life and only remember the negative things. Rather, I want to remember how blessed I was and how much I accomplished.

I don’t want to remember high school for the stress it brought me continuously.

I don’t want to remember my weekends as locking myself in my room to get all of my assignments done.

Instead, I want to remember all of the memories I’ve made and the chances I took.

I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference and had a positive influence on lives, not someone who was stressed all the time and made life miserable for others.

When you take into account everyone that is watching, listening and looking up to you, that is enough to make you want to change your life for the better.

So when life gets tough and you feel like you’re drowning, remember that your past doesn’t define you and your future’s bright; it’s your job to make it great.