As I dug my nails into the dirt and felt sweat pouring down my face, all I could think was, WHY ME?! The blazing hot summer sun had done its job; my 10-year-old self was having an existential crisis. I was crouched down, pulling out weeds, feeling like I had been working forever. My boss (my dad) gave me this task while he mowed the grass, and he was almost getting done. I knew I had to hurry up, so I yanked as much as possible off every weed, hoping he would not find the remainder of the weeds still in the ground. I soon learned that would not be possible; he came over and shouted, “Si vas hacer algo, lo tienes que hacer bien,” which means, “If you are going to do something, you must do it right.” He made me restart. I always complained when Dad or Mom made me work with them. Again, WHY ME?! I would always ask myself. I would much rather play soccer with my friends or watch TV, but that was not the route for me. To fuel the small motivation to work, I envisioned growing my parents’ businesses, and I created fake flyers and cards to promote their services. By this time, “work” was becoming bearable, and I was growing accustomed to it. Life, on the other hand, despises comfort and familiarity. My father passed away, I asked myself one last time, WHY ME?! Time stopped, and I felt I was not getting anywhere. I was trapped in a cycle of endless toil, pulling weeds without any progress. I needed my dad's word to guide me, the heartbreak had set in and so did my loneliness. My dad was not there to pull me out of my distress. School was still in session, and my middle school soccer season was coming to an end. I only missed one day of school and one soccer game, and coming back was hard. But it was not until my soccer coach asked, “Why were you not here for our game?” that I realized nobody knew the trauma my family was going through. It was in that very moment that I realized that we all carry burdens, unseen and unfelt by others. I realized that everyone was busy battling their own inner angst and the fight was real. Watching my younger brother pass through grief opened my eyes. At just 9 years old, I could see how closely he was watching, hoping to find someone to look up to. I knew it was time for me to pull myself up and become the person to help pull others out. From that point on, I promised to hold myself accountable. Just because I was going through a difficult time did not mean I could give myself an excuse to perform below my peers. And it was through all these obstacles, I finally learned that all those WHY ME moments have now become FOR ME moments. Those moments allowed me to develop a strict mindset that has not only benefited myself but my family as well. I pulled my family out of picking out the endless amounts of weeds, and the jobs that once irritated me have now become my source of inspiration. With the FOR ME mindset, I can overcome any obstacle and achieve success in everything I pursue. One day, I hope to improve and promote the services many people, such as my parents, have tenaciously put their time and energy into. This is my legacy, and I am so excited for my future.