Quick Words of Wisdom

Hi beautiful people! It has been a hot minute since I last posted, but I am back. After Semester at Sea I was working on getting my bearings and also doing work stuff, I went to Chapel Hill, and then we went on an incredible family trip to the South of France and Spain. Now, I am back and finally staying in Sarasota for longer than two seconds (lol). I am trying to find beauty in the stillness of being home; relearning how to be content with just basic life. 

Study abroad was truly the best experience of my life and I wish I could go a million times more. One of the most beautiful things about it was that I could finally just be and work on myself without really needing to focus too much on school and work. Now that I am back and have a little over a month before school starts, I am really trying to work on ensuring my mental health is as good as it can be. 

Last fall did a number on my mental health and I don’t want it to be that way ever again. So, I am dedicating this last month+ of summer to me and my mental health. Working on positive affirmations, meditation, journaling, getting outside, moving my body, etc. Of course I have been doing great getting outside and working out all the time, but I really need to focus in on the more “behind the scenes” work. Not just going through the motions, but really being intentional.  

I wanted to write about a few of the things that I have learned and am trying to keep at the forefront of my mind. Since they are helping me, maybe they will help you too ;). I find that I often know these things already, but I just need a constant reminder.

Your life could be falling apart or it could be falling right into place. It’s all about how you think about it and what you do with what you have. We all have our struggles. What can you do with the circumstances you are currently in? Focus on the trust you have for the path you are on. Things may not be going exactly the way you want them to (I know they certainly are not for me), but maybe something better is coming your way. Maybe the reason for all of this redirection is because soon things will perfectly align in a way you couldn’t have imagined. Keep putting the work in and trusting that good is coming to you. 

It is easy to get discouraged, but keep your head up and just keep going. It is also easy to think that everyone else’s life is going perfectly, and only you are struggling. No one has the perfect situation. Everyone has difficulties and we are all simply figuring out how to navigate them. Life is not really about all the things that go “right.” It is about the things that go “wrong” and how we deal with that. And once again, maybe what is going “wrong” is only that way so that what is truly meant for you can find its way towards you.

What you say to yourself matters. You live in your brain 24/7. Be kind. Being unkind to yourself is not helping anything at all. Putting yourself down only does harm. It is ok to want change for yourself. It is not ok to be unkind in the process. You can love yourself and practice self love at the same time as wanting change. Wanting change is actually a good thing because it means you are constantly trying to better who you are. However, while working towards change you should be proud of the person you are, who you have become, and what you have been through to get you this far. 

Comparison is not getting you anywhere. You do you and focus on that. We can all shine at the same time. People will get opportunities while yours are being taken away, people will be thriving while you are struggling. Be there for others even when things aren’t going the way you wanted for you. The love you give out will come back to you. 

Admit your struggles to yourself to create the change you are looking for. Hiding from yourself will get you no where. Be honest. You don’t have to share your struggles and vulnerabilities with others, but you must tell them to yourself. Reflect on them. Work to change them. 

Know what you need and take it. Get really curious about your mind, body, and soul. So curious that you are constantly exploring what it is that you need and how you operate, because at the end of the day only you can know what it is that you need. 

Have fun with expanding who you are as a person. Take up new hobbies. Use your passions as motivation. I have begun listening to news podcasts everyday to expand my knowledge of the market and current events. I am learning to golf with my brother and dad. I am about to start an excel certification class. Being informed is powerful and awesome. Having hobbies and being able to try things you aren’t good at is powerful and awesome. There is so much strength in being a beginner and being ok with that.