Most of my adventures in the past years are made up of random yeses. From work, to fun, and even to how I was led to join TDY was about a yes while I was trying to fix my life. Earlier this week, I had a short meaningful talk with my marketing team about the value of committing at the present.

I lead a young group, and being a young leader myself, I know that somehow I can relate to their vast dreams and tendency to wander during work hours. At one point, I am happy that they find ways to extract their creative juices but of course I also need to anchor them to the discipline of getting things done. Talk about professionalism. Beyond my role to push them to accomplish things is to ensure that I influence them in my own little ways.

It was a short, 10-minute monologue yet I hope that these words that I am to share today will inspire you, dear reader, as much as it has inspired me. And here it goes:

Today, you came here perhaps with a heavy heart or in a hopeful state.

While I know that you have plans for the future that undeniably excites you, keep in mind that the priority right now is what we have pledged to commit to at this hour. I know it makes our minds wander. I know you want things to happen right away, but being here requires devotion.

Sometimes it hurts that we are not in our utopia. But please take this chance to improve ourselves. The things that we learn at this season will prepare us as we finally face our bigger dreams.

Learn how to commit and give even a little love to what we have decided on and committed to. This will be a nice practice because soon as we venture into something new, we already have the confidence that we can stand by our choices; that we can sacrifice; that we can serve where we are now though something in us oftentimes drags us to. It hones our character. Beyond experience, it is how we are shaped that will define us.

Showing up is a choice. Committing is a choice — whether for career, business, school, relationships, self, and to God. We must ask for grace to grant us strength in facing our decisions. This is living out a life with higher purpose. This is service. This is love.

For the meantime, we have to keep our service and love flowing. All the goodness that we give out to the world will soon embrace us back. It may not come in the same form but it will sweetly surprise us with ways that we never imagined.

Keep devoting.