Each one of us has a light within that radiantly burns; it never goes out. Life’s challenges and inconsistencies may weigh you down, but let your dreams catapult you beyond all mental, physical, and psychological limitations — be merciless in your pursuit of self-actualization. Use untapped potential within to fire up your internal engines; shift all gears to go, blast through all impediments. Ignore the negative environmental noise, which threatens to consume. Focus. Determine to turn all obstacles into rafts and propel yourself across life’s turbulent waters. Never stop. Never give in. Never give up.

Let Your Dreams Propel You Through Valleys and Over Mountains

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.

– Theodore Roosevelt

Aspire

Push forth with your dreams and goals no matter the setbacks. Be grateful to those who stick with you no matter what. Always find the time to say thank you to those who helped. Send them positive vibes even if they are no longer in your life. Aspire to do better at every juncture of your journey.

As a young black girl growing up in my Caribbean island home, I longed to cross the waters surrounding jagged, limestone shores. There were hardly any signs telling me I could rise above the struggle and violence of a broken home. Nevertheless, I dreamed to one day do better; I dreamed to one day go further — I dreamed to soar.

When I mentioned my dreams to those around me, many smiled dismissive smiles. However, my mom encouraged and believed in me from her own broken place. She often said, “If anyone can do it, you can!“ When inherited brokenness cost me friendships, jobs, lovers and my education, she encouraged me to keep going. She believed my dreams would take me through valleys and over mountains.

Turn your wounds into wisdom.

– Oprah Winfrey (more quotes)

Visualize

Never lose sight of your goals and aspirations. There will be days when obstacles rise up, but have no fear — obstacles are an important part of the process. They help you to grow, so embrace them when they appear. To me, obstacles are the universe’s way of saying you are on the right track. Visualize how you want your end goal to look like as you keep surging forward.

Over the years, I figuratively crossed numerous faraway mountains and traversed countless overgrown valleys. Every step has been painstakingly minuscule, but I persisted. Over and over I shared my dream to be a published writer and artist to all who would listen. An immigrant and high school dropout with no inheritance as a buffer, I carved doors with my worn-out hands; I walked unpaved roads with my bare feet. Along the way, my determination created opportunities to meet kind-hearted people who saw my passion and helped propel me forward, eventually leading me to Mount Holyoke as a Francis Perkins Scholar.

Yes, I made many mistakes in my youth, most self-inflicted — we sometimes do in our pursuit of betterment. However, when lessons needed learning, I evolved and kept moving at the same time.

There is no education like adversity.

– Benjamin Disraeli

Accept

Cultivate acceptance early. There are some situations and people you have to accept because there are no other options. Instead of fighting to hold on to the things you cannot change, accept, let go and keep flowing.

As time shuttled by I embraced humility — I accepted those unfixable situations; I let go of unsupportive family; I gave up shallow friendships. In time, I realized, in order to give myself to others, I first had to heal my internal wounds. By accepting and taking responsibility for my shortcomings, doors opened that were previously closed. When the death of a close family member forced me to face life’s unknowns and uncertainties, my faith was strengthened; when personal illness threatened my mortality, my faith was deepened. I have travelled far and wide in search of my truth — not knowing, until now, that it was always here.

Finally, my dreams brought me back home to the place where I started. Today, even in the midst of an ongoing struggle, calm and peace still pervades no matter the crisis of the day.

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

– Jimmy Dean

Rise above

Know that all situations in your life have one thing in common: you. Take responsibility and keep making room for positive growth.

Although I had dreams that took me through difficult and dangerous mountains and valleys, I had the power and determination within me to keep going. This process is still ongoing today and will continue until I leave this earth. I am constantly reconfiguring and adjusting my dreams, even though, at the core, the goal is the same.

Nowadays, flexibility is my best friend, and I am persistent in finding ways to adapt to whatever comes my way. I found that incorporating daily self-reflection is essential to keeping my dreams alive and to manifesting my goals. Another lesson learned was the importance of embracing constructive criticism and not taking everything personally. In order to keep rising up, you must be mature enough to cast off internal slights and resentments, which tend to hold you back.

As time passes by, I continue to see the correlations between my inner and outer world. It is fascinating to see the connections; to finally understand that I am in control of my reality.

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

– Francis of Assisi

Hold fast to your dreams

In the end, the path of the pebble you threw, in the pond of your life, will ripple far and wide. Since yours is the hand that tossed it, all actions caused by that ripple will accrue to you. Do what’s necessary to uncover your truth and discover your path, but know all roads lead back to you. No matter your circumstance or situation, let your dreams take you through valleys and across mountains, but know the grass is always greener where you stand.