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TRANSCRIPT: Hi everyone, I’m Summer Nilsson, Daingerfield High School Class of 1995. First and foremost, I want to thank Superintendent Lesia Lewis for the opportunity to be here. It is an honor. I also want to thank the graduates and parents for the distinct privilege of speaking tonight.

Before I continue, you should know two things about me. I am blind as a bat, and I cry at a Hallmark card. So, when I pause, it is to find my place on the card, and, when I cry, it is to wipe away tears of joy. Pride. Tiger pride.

As I said, I graduated in 1995. 29 years. They go by in a blink. The point is, I sat where you sit. In search of the world. Ready, to see what could unfold. I did some things right, but I made a lot of mistakes, too. All to arrive at the exact same stage. This time, with a much different perspective.

We’re all searching for something. For some of us, it’s reason - the why. Some call it meaning; others call it purpose. Regardless of where you go from here, on what terms, and with what potential, I know you’re in search of something. And I pray that you find it. Tonight, with the time I’ve been given, I’d like to share a little about my search, and subsequent findings, in hopes that they may help you navigate your path and find your purpose.

I believe my being here represents the sum total of the choices that led to this moment. Life is about choices. One chooses to be present, just as one chooses to be happy. Happiness is one of the biggest choices you’ll make. You decide each day to be grateful.

No one can make you happy. That’s a tough pill to swallow, and a lesson that I didn’t learn until much later in life. I looked to other people to validate my goals. I wanted them to tell me that my goals were ok. My choices, justified. You learn later that it’s not anyone else’s job to validate your goals or choices. It’s a right that you are bestowed by the air you breathe and the diploma you’ve now earned. However, in taking ownership of them, you are also accountable to them.

So, make the decisions that afford you the luxury of choosing happiness. Have faith that you will be placed on a path to achieve it, and believe that upon graduating, you hold the power to become anything you set your mind to. You alone control the narrative in your mind, so choose your thoughts as carefully as you choose your next steps… and with equal intention.

As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, some of you will race to reach a finish line. I advise you to slow down. Take every opportunity to learn. It’s too soon to know if you’re wasting your time. You haven’t spent it yet.

I decided in the fourth grade, while roaming the halls of South Elementary, that I would become an author. I knew that one day, I would have a story to tell. Turns out, I had a series of them. But it didn’t happen overnight, and it couldn’t have occurred without every experience that happened along the way. In hindsight, the losses were more valuable than the victories. I felt them more.

As an author, I’m often asked what books have inspired me the most. From the age of 22, the answer has always been The Fountainhead. To paraphrase, the main character’s most powerful line is, “To say I love, one must first know how to say the ‘I’.” Twenty-nine years after graduation from high school, I’ve learned a thing or two about that “I”. I know who I am. The question of the evening is, Who Are You?

I stand before you having earned humility. Life isn’t easy. It isn’t designed to be. So, be the first to arrive at work in the morning, and the last to leave at night. For a while. Identify what you want and earn it. There’s no workaround.

You will make many sacrifices in order to succeed. The trick is to decide what you’re willing to trade before you embark on the journey. Decide up front and hold your ground.

For what it’s worth, I offer the following perspective as it pertains to the trades you SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT make in life:

TRADE FEAR OF FAILURE FOR FORTITUDE.

It’s called courage. I suffered from debilitating social anxiety growing up. Nobody knew it. I constantly heard a voice in my head that told me I wasn’t good enough.

For a long time, I lived in fear of saying the wrong thing. I disappeared from the present moment to get through it. I just kind of flipped a switch and performed. The problem was that afterward, I couldn’t remember what I’d said, or what anyone else said, either. Which made me appear aloof and distant. I felt misunderstood and became increasingly insecure.

Learn to silence self-doubt. Find the courage to try new things, introduce yourself, compliment others, and remember you are worthy of that exchange. Trust your gut.

NEXT, TRADE EGO FOR WORK ETHIC.

One of the most valuable moments in my career occurred when I worked in the circulation department at The Dallas Morning News. I learned about newspaper printing and distribution for the paper. There was nothing glamorous about it. But two decades later, when I became an author, and I toured the facilities that would print my books, and I knew exactly what questions to ask. My point is that there’s always a reason, even if you can’t see it yet. It may not be what you prayed for at the time. It’s called faith for a reason.

THEN, TRADE PERCEPTION FOR POTENTIAL.

I was fortunate enough to be tasked with launching the Food Network Magazine. It was another moment in my career that I will always treasure. Not because I met fancy people, but because I worked alongside the best of the best to build a brand from the ground up.

But a funny thing happened to me during that window of time. I’d worked very hard to get where I was. It’s what I thought I wanted. By everyone else’s definition, I was accomplished. But I wasn’t fulfilled. I learned that one’s definition of success changes as you grow. That’s ok.

So, gain the experience, and listen for your calling. You’re the only one that can hear it. More importantly, you’re the only one that can define it. Trade the perception of who you think you’re supposed to be for the potential to become what’s possible.