Dreams and aspirations are the driving forces that shape our lives. They fuel our motivation, guide our decisions, and help us define our purpose. The question of whether we are worthy of the dreams we aspire to achieve extends beyond individual qualities; it is about recognizing that everyone is deserving of their dreams. I believe that I, like everyone, am worth the dreams I aim for. This belief comes from the hard work, perseverance, and inherent potential that each person possesses. First and foremost, dreams are not reserved for a select few. Every person, regardless of background or circumstances, has the capacity to achieve their goals. For me, being worthy of my dreams is not about being extraordinary but about the effort I dedicate to pursuing them. I work hard every day, whether it’s by studying, developing my skills, or taking on challenges that push me outside of my comfort zone. Every step I take, no matter how small, brings me closer to realizing my aspirations. It is this commitment that makes me worthy of my dreams, as I actively work toward them, just as anyone else does. This commitment to hard work is not unique to me. People all around the world are working tirelessly to achieve their goals. From the student studying late into the night to the worker putting in long hours to provide for their family, countless individuals are dedicated to their dreams. We all face different obstacles, but we all work hard to overcome them. This shared effort demonstrates that every person is deserving of their dreams. It’s not about privilege or special circumstances; it’s about the collective effort that we all contribute toward making our dreams come true. In addition, everyone has inherent value, which is another reason why each person is worthy of their dreams. Every individual brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table. These qualities, combined with hard work, create a strong foundation for success. I believe that every person has the potential to learn, grow, and make a meaningful contribution to the world. This belief is not only true for me, but for everyone. Our capacity to dream and work toward something greater is what makes us deserving of the opportunity to achieve our goals. The path to achieving dreams is rarely easy, and it often involves overcoming setbacks and learning from failures. But it is through these challenges that we grow stronger and more resilient. I know that my dreams won’t be achieved without obstacles, but I am committed to pushing forward. Everyone, regardless of their circumstances, experiences these ups and downs. It is our ability to keep going, despite the difficulties, that proves we are worthy of the dreams we aspire to. In conclusion, I am worthy of the dreams I aim for, not because I am unique, but because I work hard, persist through challenges, and believe in my potential. More importantly, this is true for everyone. We are all deserving of our dreams because we put in the effort, learn from our failures, and continue to grow. Our dreams are not defined by our circumstances but by our determination and resilience. Everyone is worth their dreams because everyone has the capacity to strive for and achieve them.

I chose to pursue a business degree to learn how to manage a business effectively and create a prosperous future for myself and my family in the future. This decision is deeply rooted in my desire to provide my future kids and family with opportunities and financial security that I didn't have. While my parents aren't able to cover my education expenses due to our move from Ukraine, I see this challenge as an opportunity to take control of my future and make a meaningful impact on my community. My path is driven by a strong sense of responsibility and a vision for a better life for my family. I want to break the financial struggle my family faced and give my children a chance to focus on their education without the burden of working long hours to support themselves through college. I started a job a week after turning sixteen and have been working for at least 35 hours a week since. A business degree offers the knowledge and skills to succeed in entrepreneurship and management. With this education, I hope to gain the necessary tools to establish and run a successful business in the future. By doing so, I aim to create financial stability for my family and job opportunities for community members. I see this as a way to contribute positively to the local economy, by offering employment and fostering growth. Moreover, I am aware of the importance of giving back to the community that has welcomed me, even in challenging circumstances. Through my education and future business ventures, I plan to engage in community initiatives, support local organizations, and provide mentorship and opportunities to young individuals like me who aspire to pursue their dreams. By doing so, I hope to make a lasting, positive impact in my new community. In conclusion, my choice to pursue a business degree is driven by a strong desire to create a better future for my children and those around them. To strengthen the future economy and provide my community and those who just moved with job and career opportunities. Despite the economic challenges I've encountered, I see education as a means to achieve these goals and contribute to the well-being of those around me. I am committed to working hard and utilizing the knowledge and skills I gain to bring about the change I want to see in my life and the lives of others.

Friendship is a great relationship people have. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Friendship is born at the moment when one man says to another 'What! You too?'" I made so many amazing friends in so many places I would never think about making friends. Parking lot, fitting room, and even restroom. Friendship is the most powerful tool. Real friends are like co allies, always there for you, the support and help when you need it the most. a best friend is someone with whom you don't hide your feelings. Can't pretend with, don't feel like being judged, or made fun of. “Friendships between women, as any woman will tell you, are built of a thousand small kindnesses... swapped back and forth and over again," - Michelle Obama. Those are the small things that build a friendship. You simply help each other. One phrase I heard that stood out to me the most is, " Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."

“Brave” by sara bareilles. She sings about how important it is to be brave and not be afraid to say what you want to say. Standing up for yourself and things you love. Being you and expressing yourself in any way you want. “You can be amazing You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug You can be the outcast Or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love Or you can start speaking up” So motivating to speak up.

When I think about what makes me happy, there are a lot of things running through my mind. My family, cat, friends, music, drawing, and nature. There is not a single thing I would exclude from the list. But most importantly, I make myself happy. I learned that no matter how many friends or happy moments you have in life, you will not be satisfied unless happiness comes from the inside. Thinking positively and seeing everything optimistically impacts your life more than you think. Learning and growing wiser every day makes you understand more in life. I'm not talking about a degree or a career. But when you spend time alone with books and nature in the morning, it sets off a day differently. Feeling the calmness of the trees or the rain, with a scent of pine here in Washington, hits different. If you arent happy alone, there isn't a relationship or friend group that will make you happy.

Portrait of Madame X Painting by John Singer Sargent in 1883-84. It outraged critics when the painting was first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1884. Parisian high society was offended because the image’s overt sexuality was expected for a mythological heroine, but it was downright threatening when applied to a woman of their cast. Portrait of Madame X is a painting of Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, the New Orleans-born wife of Pierre Gautreau, a wealthy businessman. At the time, she was a well-known Parisian socialite named, noted for her beauty, who occasionally posed as a model for eminent artists. Looking at this painting as in 2022, she looks fierce and confident. A wealthy, good looking wife of a businessman, she knows she is worthy and well established. Her confidence is shining through the painting and shows how powerful women are. Amelie Avegno Gautreau stands with her head up high, demonstrating calmness at the same time.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki, is the most inspiring book I have read.. In this book, you can find information that will lead to financial freedom and success. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, is written in such detail and manner that keeps you engaged for days! One of many favorite quotes I have is: “Stop blaming me and thinking I’m the problem. If you think I'm the problem, then you have to change me. If you realize that you’re the problem, then you can change yourself, learn something, and grow wiser.” It made me see the moments I blamed others instead of changing myself and learning. I have neither desire nor time to change others, but I always got time to improve myself. Once, he said: "Life pushes us all around. Some people give up and others fight. A few learn the lesson and move on.” That is so true. I know that many times I let problems push me around. But after reading this book, I learned how to stand for myself and gained a lot of knowledge. Dealing with problems make some stronger and wiser, while some lose confidence and give up. I want to always be in the first category.

Hi, this is my pet, Leon. He’s a British shorthair boy with complete heterochromia, meaning his eyes are entirely different colors. Leon is a pretty young kitty who is turning one this winter. He is the cutest and loveliest creature! Cuddling and purring at 100 decibels is his way of showing love. He always finds a way to comfort me when I'm sad. Also, he is the one who always agrees to watch a movie with me!

Empathy is the ability to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position. Putting yourself into other people's shoes is what I try doing daily. But I always make sure I feel empathy, not sympathy. Sympathy is feeling pity and sorrow for someone. For example, when you witness someone's misfortune and have an uncomfortable, negative reaction to their circumstance. Ask if a person wants advice or someone who would listen. The smallest thing you can do for someone is to listen. Sometimes it is hard for me to share my problems with someone, especially my family. It feels like I would put a burden on them instead of resolving things myself. But what I learned is there are always people who support you. That's why I ask if a person wants my advice or me to listen. You never know what they are going through, listen, show that you understand, and support them. It's that simple.

There is a lot of studying techniques I have found while in High School and none of them seemed to be just right for me. Instead, I created my way of learning. I’m a hands-on learner, so reading a book leaves only about 15% of the information in my brain. Instead, I take a ton of notes on everything. Not only the big details but the minor ones as well, it helps me memories important stuff quicker. The practical part is you can always come back and reread your notes instead of trying to find them in a book. Studying for hours straight doesn’t work for me. But I found this incredible twenty-five and five-technique where you work for almost half an hour and then rest five minutes. It helps your brain relax while still being focused on a task. And lastly, I like to test myself at random times to make sure I still remember what I learned.

“Confidence means feeling sure of yourself and your abilities in a realistic, secure way… a quiet inner knowledge that you are capable.”- this is the definition of confidence. For me, it means simply not judging yourself and believing that you can be what you want. To grow confidence within, I follow some rules. First, stop comparing yourself to others. We are all going at a different pace. Stop rushing through life. Some things happen naturally and you can’t control them. When you feel like everyone is better than you, remember that there’s at least one person who looks up to you and wishes to be just like you. Second, surround yourself with positive people. You can’t jump high when others hold you down. Let them go. Your happiness determines the majority of your confidence. And lastly, take care of your body. Sleep, eat, exercise, and appreciate your body. It is something that keeps you alive and well, is thankful. Even though I am not as confident as I would want to be, I am more confident than I was before.

Nature is so incredible and unexplainable. Every single part of it is magical. It leads us to find clarity of mind, so life makes more sense. It gives us a chance to step away from our worries and concerns. It has a beautiful array of colors to see, a range of textures to touch, and a host of calming sounds. When we get into I nature, suddenly, we find a magical world filled with exciting opportunities to have thrilling adventures. Spending time in nature encourages us to slow down. Nature gives us the time to reflect on what is meaningful and to calm our thoughts. One of the ways I care for nature is a bird feeder that I made out of a metal can. I refill it every couple of days, especially now that it is snowing it is hard for birds to have enough food for their survival. It's the smallest thing I can do to pay nature back.

Saying that I have many goals doesn’t exactly tell you how many I’ve got. It’s a ton. But the most important ones to me are building great relationships in my family, getting my degree, and making enough money not to worry about tomorrow. My steps look easy. But when it comes to working, that is when it hits hard. Firstly, find and apply to a university that shares my morals, goals, and ideas. Secondly, finding scholarships to cover my college tuition. Thirdly, work and study hand to get my degree. And the rest of the steps are relationships and career-related. My “Dream Poster” helps me stay motivated throughout my life. Pictures of the house, career, family, and dog of my dreams keep me from giving up. When I don’t feel like working or studying, it keeps me stay on track strong, and motivated. I believe working hard and, most importantly, being smart will lead to open doors of dream life.

I would describe myself as a perfectionist whose standards are always high. That's why it is crucial to care for my mental health. Drawing digitally or traditionally helps me relax while listening to classical music or just calm and slow beats. Sometimes I feel a lot of pressure because of my high expectations. I read about a method which helps you relax without having music playing. It is called a happy place. Use all your senses to bring your happy place to live in your mind's eye. You can imagine yourself on a beach, in a garden, or anywhere that rings true for you. Either way, visualize that you're in your happy place, and then rest in the imagery of it for a few minutes to de-stress. This method seems to work great for me. My happy place is the beach and ocean waves at night. I go there every time I feel burned out. The calming sound of waves and silence everywhere else. Clear sky and stars above you. The warmth of the ocean breeze. And you feel calmness and peace in seconds. This method helps me recharge positivity and continue with my day.

Crafts and drawing are the things I cannot imagine myself without. I love everything that involves art in any way. Drawing is my biggest passion. It gives me the freedom to put all my thoughts on paper and show what I truly feel and believe. Being able to express feelings without words is something I look up to. I try practicing and improving my art through actively practicing it and finding new techniques to learn and enjoy. Reading books and other literature helps to educate me in these aspects. There are a lot of art styles that I would love to try: modernism, abstract art, and cubism. The paintings of an artist named Yayoi Kusama inspire me. She is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation but is also active in painting. All of her sculptures and art are so unreal and unique. And her color choice makes them pop and stand out. Hopefully, one day I will be as well-known and talented as her one day.

Life is too short for you to be serious all the time. So… if you can't laugh at yourself, call me… ill laugh at you. laugh is the best form of therapy. Life is so short. If you put worry above everything there will be no space for happiness. Sometimes it's just better to laugh at dumb mistakes and move on. Nobody said it would be easy. Life is too short to spend another day at war with yourself. Letting go funnily is a skill for a happy life. People learn every day from the mistakes of others or their own. Don't let your past drown you, there is always a way for a new beginning. Just like someone once said, “ You can't change how it started, but you can change how it ends." Have fun, make friends and laugh. A laugh may not add years to your life, but it will add life to your years.

Overthinking. Well, I thought so. I thought, that if I was thinking through every possible outcome of my actions, I would make fewer mistakes, and it somehow would make me happier. Turns out it is not helpful at all. After reading a book called “women who think too much” by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, I realized how wrong I was. And that all of the time I was self-conscious about things I say and do, what people would think of me, simply did no good. Instead, I started just doing things the best way. Think a lot before something, a little during, and zero afterward. Simply what is done cannot be changed. So what I like about myself now, my open mind. Willingness to learn from my mistakes and change the way I think. Knowing that I can do that makes me love myself even more. “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line”.

Independence is a skill of successful people. Being self-determined gives you the ability to get stronger every day. My favorite quote about being self-sufficient is: “ Behind every strong, independent woman is a little girl who had to learn how to get back up and never depend on anyone.” It means that you need to feel good being by yourself. It does not mean to push everyone away and be alone. Behappy without having someone whose constant duty is to make you feel better. It is not their purpose to make you happy, but they are there for you to have fun with. Learning how to deal with problems by yourself is being independent. Being self-motivated is part of being independent. I had to learn it and hopefully, I did. Life is difficult for any of us. But what of that? We must have determination and, above all, self-confidence in ourselves. We must think we are gifted for something we must achieve. Being positive and thinking in your self-regard is essential to attaining your potential.

Fuel for my life is dreaming. It is what keeps me from stopping or giving up. Every time I think of giving up, I try to think of what can happen if I succeed. One of the methods that I've seen online is visualizing your dreams. Create a scenario in your head with our house, family, job, etc. This technique makes your brain work towards it making your goal part of your reality. But as everything does, it takes time and a lot of practice. At first, it may be seen as innocent or irrelevant, but as you keep on visualizing the dream it gives you the motivation to work towards the desired goal. "Hard work increases the probability of serendipity." There is no shortcut for hard work that leads to effectiveness. You must stay disciplined as most of the work is behind the scenes. With determination, discipline, and hard work all dreams become a reality.

Joy is something I cannon imagine my life without. Everyone's joy is different, for some it's sports, for some it's arts, but for me, it's my family. Having them in my life is already the best thing I could ever wish for. My family and I moved to the USA from Ukraine five years ago. They are the only people who were there for me throughout these times. We share so many great memories and have those cute, silly traditions. For example in my family, we don't just give your birthday present to you, we make you solve riddles and puzzles of every kind for you to find it. And for every member of our family, we put up decorations early in the morning before they wake up for it to be a surprise, and if you suddenly wake up from a balloon popping, you pretend to be asleep because officially you have to step out of the bedroom at 9 am. All of these little things make up the best memories I could ever wish for. They are the only joy I need.

Crafts and drawing are the things I cannot imagine myself without. I love everything that involves art in any way. Drawing is my biggest passion I would say. It gives me the freedom to put all of my thoughts on paper and to show what I truly feel and believe in. Being able to express feelings without words is something I'm always looking up to. I try practicing and improving my art through actively practicing it and finding new techniques to learn and enjoy. Reading books and other literature helps to educate me in these aspects. There are a lot of art styles that I would love to try like modernism, abstract art, and cubism. I am inspired by the paintings of an artist named Yayoi Kusama. She is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation but is also active in painting. All of her sculptures and art are so unreal and unique, but also her color choice just makes them pop and stand out. Hopefully one day I become as well-known and talented as Yayoi is.