As we all know, life can be difficult if we do not have a sense of identity. I wrap my identity around how I live and the morals that I live by. The following quotes are words that I base my life off of everyday, and the serve as a template for how I wish to live.

“You miss 100% of the shots you never take,” -Wayne Gretzky.

This is a quote that has influenced my life greatly, and not just because I’m a fan of hockey. These words tell me that if I do not try, nothing will happen. I have a much better chance of succeeding by taking my shots, because if I don’t I will fail 100% of the time.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love,” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Before I was a Christian I first heard this in an Alan Jackson song. This quote has made me realize that through everything, love is the most important factor. It has taught me to love fearlessly and unconditionally.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

Getting out of my comfort zone is something that is very difficult for me to do. However, because of this quote, I know that I will never be able to see the world and discover new things if I choose to stay on the shore. Leaving the shore behind to go into the unknown is where the real adventure will be found.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

As someone who hikes regularly and knows the importance of staying on the trails (because bears will eat me if I don’t) I have always struggled with applying this quote to my life. This shows the value in forging my own ideas and to have a unique way of doing things. It tells me to be a leader instead of a follower, and to help those behind me make their ways as well.

These quotes may seem cliché, but they wouldn’t be this popular if they didn’t have an influence on a large amount of people. I will continue to live by the words of these quotes, and hopefully they will allow me to lead my life in the direction I wish.

In Sisterhood,

Shyanne Osterhaus