I saw a post on twitter really stood out to me; it that said: "You can't heal in the same environment that made you sick." The concept that in order to grow and heal something needs to change is a concept that I have been following for years, and I couldn't even put it into words a few weeks ago.
I'm not going to say my high school experience was bad, but it definitely wasn't great. By the time I graduated I felt so weighed down by negativity. I wanted to escape the toxic environment called high school and get as far away as I could. Which is why I ended up in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania.
My first semester of college I saw so much personal growth, I couldn't believe it! I went into the second semester better than ever with so much hope. Then, my growth got a little stagnant. in fact, I became kind of a mess.
I was constantly stressed and overwhelmed, which reach havoc on the way I view life. Conveniently, my little breakdown coincided with summer break. So, I moved back to New Hampshire.
After a lot of crying and my parents' genuine concern and help (pretty sure they thought college made me crazy), my personal growth started back up.
Now, here I am less than two weeks from move-in day of my sophomore year and I feel more prepared than ever. I am a little sad to be leaving but excited for what's to come.
Although I have followed this concept quite literally, there are many ways to take it to heart without packing up your bags and moving to another state. If you feel stagnant and in the wrong mindset find ways to change your environment:
Change your friend group. If you surround yourself with negative and toxic people, you are going to be a negative and toxic person. Letting go of people who you have grown to care about can be scary but sometimes its needed.
Re-organize your room. Clutter can be overwhelming. If your room is always a mess, it could cause you more stress. One of my favorite ways to give freshen up my mindset it to clean up my room.
Make a career or job change. The older you get the more impractical and intimidating this option seems. If you are a high school student and your job makes you miserable, change it!
There is no need to stay at a job you hate when it's so simple for you to find another one. If you are an adult and you feel like you're waste your time every day and are miserable, take a leap of faith and do something about it. Risks have to be made in order to achieve something and feel fulfilled.
Find new places to visit. When you see the same things every day, you stop appreciating its beauty and ultimately stop noticing the beauty in life. Take a trip to the beach, find a mountain to hike, spend a day in the city, walk in a garden. You will be surprised how finding the beauty in life can have such a positive impact on the way you see things.
No matter the way you decide to make changes within your life, to heal and grow it starts with your mindset. Physical changes make mental and emotional changed seem easier. But you have to make the decision to see things differently. Make the change and watch yourself shine.
