As I stand upon the shore, the water reaches up

to grab at my ankles

I tense, realizing the intensity of the chill,

but in a matter of moments my skin relaxes

as if it recognizes this sensation, it welcomes the thrill

I am numbed with excitement as I take my first

steps into the inviting abyss

After all, the best adventure is found within the unknown

A call from the unexpected can conjure the most memorable experiences

The contrast between the sun warming my skin

and the frigid water takes my breath away

Speechless, I find myself looking back at the distant shore,

reaching for my safety net, wanting to feel security

But soon, I realize that there is nothing to be afraid of

when you are being carried by the power of the ocean

I realize that there is nothing to be afraid of

when you are genuinely happy

I wrote this poem during a time when I took other's opinions of me to heart, as well as at a time when I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself with my academics. I was always unable to see the bigger picture, to see past my own insecurities and accept myself for who I am. I was always apologizing for my own mistakes, and often other's mistakes. However, this habit got to a point where I knew I needed to pick myself up, dust off, and begin boosting my own confidence. By doing this, I knew I would be able to explore life outside of my protective shell and truly begin experiencing the beauty of my life. I began by resisting the urges to place pressure on myself to be perfect in my academics as well as my appearance. I know hundreds of people struggle with this on a daily basis. My insecurities were often suffocating and I had begun losing hope that I would ever feel confident with myself. I turned to the guidance of many wonderful adults in myself, as well as my closest friends, and found security in knowing that they all had experienced similar anxieties. Just by talking through my worries and fears, I began to realize that they were weighing me down in my daily life, inhibiting me from experiencing genuine joy. This is also around the time I began to write poetry and journal, which helped me cope tremendously. It is human nature to think that you can only rely on yourself to get help, but I believe that by opening yourself up for relationships with others, self-help can come more naturally.