There will be a time in your life when you feel lost. This can come in the form failing a class or falling out with a friend. It can creep up on you slowly or it can hit you like a ton of bricks. In reality, this will probably happen to you more than once. That is OK. Life is a journey and sometimes it is down a long an winding path full of road blocks.
Over the past couple of weeks I have learned that it is best to let go of the negativity in my life. Letting go of the negative people around me, the stress to be perfect, and the pressure to succeed. I have come to truly understand that our lives are not meant to be picture perfect. We are supposed to fail and make mistakes so we can get up, try harder, and grow. And in order to make these mistakes we must first have these experiences.
I find it hard to believe that my life can be summed up by the small highlights in my life. Instead, I choose to believe that my story will be a complex one. It will be full of failure and success, love and heartbreak, change, hard work, family, friends and more. I choose my narrative and in doing so I choose to let go of whatever expectations have been weighing on me. It is in these thoughts and actions that I have begun to choose myself.
Choosing yourself is not selfish or lonely path. It is so much better to be with yourself and be happy than to be surrounded by people and things that make you feel poorly. Choosing yourself does not mean you have to seclude yourself from others. It is a way to look inside, see what you need, and recharge yourself. It will be a work in progress - you will not fix everything overnight - just remember that you will be ok.
Meditation, self-reflection, exercise, reading a book or listening to music, watching your favorite movie, or taking a walk are all little ways you can use to destress during your me time. There are so many things you can do to take of yourself while also releasing stress. When you are happy to be around yourself and are in a healthier mindset you will be less inclined to keep yourself surrounded by negativity.
Another way to choose yourself is to create a better environment for yourself. This includes ending relationships with people you do not enjoy being around and who make you feel poorly. Sometimes, it can be hard to end a platonic or romantic relationship especially one that has been in your life for a long time, but if it is something that is harming your happiness it is not good to keep that relationship. You should start by speaking to the person about how you feel and ways to fix it. If the relationship still does not change it is time for you to make a decision about what relationship you really should have with that person.
Life can be hard. So, when you think you cannot continue anymore just know that there is support somewhere. Whether it is from family, friends, or mentors there is help out there. Most importantly you always have yourself. You have your determination, your willpower, and your inner strength. These are what I call on whenever I feel alone and unmotivated. Armed with your support behind you, you will be able to overcome many obstacles and see what great things life has in story for you!