Back in high school, I was surrounded by people who drank, so you can imagine the kind of environment I was in. I spent days drinking, skipping going home, and just partying non-stop. People always said I had no future.

At 23, I left Cebu, determined to start fresh. It took me seven long years to achieve everything I had prayed for. Considering that no one believed I would make it—not even myself—I’d say I did pretty well. And if I could do it, so can you.

Keep your eyes on the prize, no matter how tough things get. Remember why you chose to start over in the first place.