Right before writing this, I looked at my grades from last year. I didn’t do it out of vanity, but out of a desire for reassurance.
Recently, I’ve been feeling waves of anxiety about next school year. 5 AP classes. Am I insane? But instead of wallowing in this anxiety like I have in the past, I realized that I have achieved great things and can do it again. That’s my favorite way to cope with anxiety, reassurance.
So the next time you feel anxious about something, remind yourself that if you’ve done anything like it before, you can do it again. I’m going to use the same study methods, same drive, and same time management I did last year. You can use the same things you used last time if they worked, and if they didn’t, hopefully you learned from it. Learning is the point of life after all.
That’s another phrase I tell myself a lot. Everything is an opportunity to learn. So, even if you fail, whatever you’re anxious about will still have served its purpose. But we won’t fail. We will rise despite anxiety because there is no other option. The world is going to keep spinning whether we do the things we’re anxious about or not, so you might as well do it. Learning is a gift always worth receiving no matter what package it comes in. Even if it makes your heart race and your head pound, seize the opportunity to grow. There’s no way to know if you’ll get another chance.
Take a deep breath and remember that. Remember that you are strong, capable, and prepared to conquer whatever you’re anxious about. The anxiety is just the prelude to an amazing story.
Until next time,
Ella Greene
