Make the Most of Yourself

The Holidays are here, so I want to share with you the best gift ever given to me.

It was Christmas of 1994 and I was about to enter college the following September, away from home. My mom gave me a gift that brought tears to my eyes. No, it was not my own credit card or a car, it was a bookmark – a bookmark with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”

The quote’s combination of simplicity and truth allowed it to immediately inspire my outlook on life and to play a major role in my always being open about my sexual orientation. I realized that in order to live up to my true potential, I could not hide a large part of my identity, being gay. Instead, to make the most of myself, I understood my sexual orientation as a strength and value added to my life, the lives of my friends, and my place of work. I decided that I would never waste my energy trying to hide my sexual orientation from anyone I worked with, be he or she someone I managed, a co-worker, or my boss.

Allowing myself full focus and the freedom to utilize all of my strengths at work, I climbed the corporate ladder at an accelerated pace, and when I decided to follow the path towards my ideal career (in mental health and life coaching), I had the necessary financial security and support network to do so.

I share this story not for applause or a “great for you,” but in hopes that you too will accept the gift of Emerson’s words, and in your personal and professional life realize the value of your entire person, allowing you to make the most of yourself.