{"id":60162,"date":"2011-04-27T20:01:53","date_gmt":"2011-04-27T20:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/wholeliving\/?p=60162"},"modified":"2011-04-27T20:17:30","modified_gmt":"2011-04-27T20:17:30","slug":"graduation-inspiration-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/wholeliving\/2011\/04\/graduation-inspiration-speech.html","title":{"rendered":"Graduation Inspiration Speech"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A few years ago I came across a\u00a0\u00a0motivational speech<\/a>\u00a0that changed the way I looked at the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The words of Baz Luhrmann’s \u00a0“Everybody’s Free”<\/a>, was originally for a high school graduation.\u00a0The lyrics are\u00a0about life lessons and enjoying the journey.\u00a0I wasn’t graduating,\u00a0but I soaked up the words and felt blessed to have heard such a wonderful speech!\u00a0I went on a search trying to find the speaker, the title, \u00a0any information that would lead me back to the movtiational words.\u00a0A word generator on youtube finally helped me track the speech down, and now I am sharing it with you.<\/p>\n

Watch the video<\/a>, I hope you enjoy it was much as I did.<\/p>\n

My favorite line is:” Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.” Since hearing this I have curbed my beauty magazine habit in favor of more novels by inspiring<\/a> women and men.<\/p>\n

And for the lyrics:<\/p>\n

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of \u201999<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>
\nIf I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be<\/strong>
\nit. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by<\/strong>
\nscientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable<\/strong>
\nthan my own meandering <\/strong>experience\u2026I will dispense this advice now. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not<\/strong>
\nunderstand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.<\/strong>
\nBut trust me, in 20 years you\u2019ll look back at photos of yourself and<\/strong>
\nrecall in a way you can\u2019t grasp now how much possibility lay before<\/strong>
\nyou and how fabulous you really looked\u2026.You\u2019re not as fat as you<\/strong>
\nimagine. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as<\/strong>
\neffective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing<\/strong>
\nbubblegum. <\/strong>The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that<\/strong>
\nnever crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm<\/strong>
\non some idle Tuesday. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don\u2019t be reckless with other people\u2019s hearts, don\u2019t put up with<\/strong>people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don\u2019t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you\u2019re ahead, sometimes<\/strong>
\nyou\u2019re behind\u2026the race is long, and in the end, it\u2019s only with<\/strong>
\nyourself. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you<\/strong>
\nsucceed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don\u2019t feel guilty if you don\u2019t know what you want to do with your<\/strong>
\nlife\u2026the most interesting people I know didn\u2019t know at 22 what they<\/strong>
\nwanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year<\/strong>
\nolds I know still don\u2019t. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you\u2019ll miss them when they\u2019re gone. Maybe you\u2019ll marry, maybe you won\u2019t, maybe you\u2019ll have children,maybe<\/strong>
\nyou won\u2019t, maybe you\u2019ll divorce at 40, maybe you\u2019ll dance the funky<\/strong>
\nchicken on your 75th wedding anniversary\u2026what ever you do, don\u2019t<\/strong>
\ncongratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either \u2013 your<\/strong>
\nchoices are half chance, so are everybody else\u2019s. Enjoy your body,<\/strong>
\nuse it every way you can\u2026don\u2019t be afraid of it, or what other people<\/strong>
\nthink of it, it\u2019s the greatest instrument you\u2019ll ever<\/strong>
\nown..<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Dance\u2026even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don\u2019t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they\u2019ll be gone for<\/strong>
\ngood. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the<\/strong>
\npeople most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you<\/strong>should hold on. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and<\/strong>
\nlifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you<\/strong>
\nknew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live<\/strong>
\nin Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will<\/strong>philander, you too will get old, and when you do you\u2019ll fantasize <\/strong>that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were<\/strong>
\nnoble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t expect anyone else to support you. <\/strong>Maybe you have a trust fund,<\/strong>
\nmaybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one<\/strong>
\nmight run out. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will<\/strong>
\nlook 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who<\/strong>
\nsupply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of<\/strong>
\nfishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the<\/strong>
\nugly parts and recycling it for more than<\/strong>
\nit\u2019s worth. <\/strong><\/p>\n

But trust me on the sunscreen\u2026”<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more inspiration check out: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Christian Inspiration<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayers For Hope and Comfort<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few years ago I came across a\u00a0\u00a0motivational speech\u00a0that changed the way I looked at the world.\u00a0 The words of Baz Luhrmann’s \u00a0“Everybody’s Free”, was originally for a high school graduation.\u00a0The lyrics are\u00a0about life lessons and enjoying the journey.\u00a0I wasn’t graduating,\u00a0but I soaked up the words and felt blessed to have heard such a wonderful…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":269,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,42,64,24,5,63,7,65],"tags":[68,69,304,67,66,324],"class_list":["post-60162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-compassion","category-faith","category-graduation","category-health-2","category-inspiration","category-life","category-motivation","category-speech","tag-baz-luhrmann","tag-graduation-2","tag-inspiration","tag-life-lessons","tag-motviation","tag-speech"],"yoast_head":"\nGraduation Inspiration Speech - 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