This Summer Taught Me To Love My Anxious Mind | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

This Summer Taught Me To Love My Anxious Mind

Thank you for being everything I didn't know I needed.

Lynnsey Kwaak
Aug 18, 2019
James Madison
43
This Summer Taught Me To Love My Anxious Mind
Lynnsey Kwaak

As I pack up all my things to move back to college, it seems as if summer is officially coming to a close. It's bittersweet. I am so excited to be back at school but sad to leave behind so many wonderful memories.

But more than anything, I feel empowered.

I feel motivated.

I feel inspired.

This summer really put me through the emotional ringer. If I'm being completely honest, I didn't quite feel like myself for most of the summer. My days weren't very structured, so I spent a lot of time at home doing nothing. It left me a lot of time alone with my mind and that can either go wonderfully or terribly.

A lot of the time, it went terribly. I would worry about everything, stress over the tiniest things and just be lonely. This wasn't out of the ordinary for me. I've always had a tendency to overwork myself or get fixated on things that were out of my control.

But this summer, something changed.

This summer, I chose to focus on the things that I could control.

This summer, I chose to take a break when I felt stressed.

This summer, I reached out to my friends when I felt lonely.

This summer, I made peace with my mind.

Don't get me wrong, I still worry and get stressed and feel lonely sometimes — that's never going to change — but now, I have a better understanding of myself and how I deal with feelings like that. That is the first step.

This summer taught me to take all the thoughts that are racing through my head and express them. I found myself more inspired to create art as a result of this. I found myself more invested in my relationships because of this. I found myself more motivated to take good care of myself because of this.

So, as I prepare myself to go back to school for sophomore year, I want to remind myself to feel how I do right now. I want to embrace the darker moments because they are what make me who I am. I want to love those moments without getting consumed by them. I want to use those moments to fuel my art.

Summer 2019, you were kind to me in ways I was not expecting. You taught me that there is as much strength in solitude as there is in togetherness. You taught me concentration and being present in every moment.

Do not worry about the future because it has not happened yet and do not worry about the past because it already has. Focus on the present because it is happening right now. If you need to take a moment to breathe, do it. If you need to talk to someone, do it.

So I'm thankful for the summer, but most importantly I'm thankful for myself for learning these lessons. Thank you for your unruly mind and your tender heart. Thank you for your creative hand and your adventurous spirit. Thank you for the good and the bad.

And finally, thank you for you.

mental health
Report this Content
Entertainment

7 Experiences All Girls With Resting Bitch Face Have Had

The struggles of having an RBF are all too real

University of South Florida
2295
girl
Pexels

In case you're unaware, "resting bitch face" is the term used to describe when a person's natural, expressionless face makes it look like they are mad at the world. Whether they are walking down the street or simply spacing out thinking about what to eat for dinner, it's very easy for others to assume that this person is either upset or mad at them. Because of this, those of us with Resting Bitch Face (RBF), and especially us women, have all experienced many of the same situations and conversations, including:

Keep Reading...Show less
rbf
Entertainment

The Stages Of A Crush As Told By The Cast of "Bob's Burgers"

We all go through certain stages when we have a crush, Tina just explains it better.

Dean College
1109
my heart just pooped its pants
Google

We've all had a crush before. Whether it leads to something or nothing, the process has all been the same. The awkward feelings, the stalking, and the stress of trying to keep this huge secret. The feeling of becoming a total spazz is something that cannot be avoided, and the most spazzy family that can relate to this feeling is the Belcher's.

Keep Reading...Show less
bobs burgers
Adulting

Adulting 101: In Sickness And In Self

Everybody hurts sometimes.

Georgia State University
904
you didnt come this far to only come this far lighted text
Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash

At the tender age of 18, we are bestowed with the title of “adult.” For 17 years, we live under the rules and guidelines of our parents, school, and government, and to stray from any of those rules or guidelines marks us as a rebel. At 18, though, we must choose which college we want to go to or what career we want. We are allowed and encouraged to vote. We can buy lottery tickets and cigarettes. We can drop out of school, leave our household, and do other "adult" things. At 18, we start down a path of thinking for ourselves, when for the entirety of our lives other institutions have been mandated to think and do for us.

Keep Reading...Show less
adulting
Student Life

25 Thoughts Everyone Has When Registering For Classes

May the odds be ever in your favor.

University of Nebraska Omaha
1527
university
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Creating your schedule for the upcoming semester can be an exciting process. You have the control to decide if you want to have class two-days a week or five-days a week. You get to check things off of your requirement checklist. It's an opportunity for a fresh start with new classes (which you tell yourself you'll never skip.) This process, which always starts out so optimistic, can get frustrating really quickly. Here are 25 thoughts you have when registering for classes.

Keep Reading...Show less
class registration
Student Life

10 Thoughts Of A 5th Year Senior

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

University of Kentucky
1958
college shirt
pointsincase.com

"College will be the best four years of your life" is a phrase that we have all heard growing up. College is painted as a magical place to us while we are in high school. A place you go to learn, meet your best friends and probably have the time of your life while all of this is going down. Four whirlwind years, where everything that you've known changes and you start to learn what it means to live on your own, have a job, etc. But what about those of us who don't do this all in four years? Major changes, hard courses, switching schools, career paths changing, these are just a handful of factors that could extend your four years to five, six or seven. There is nothing wrong with taking extra time to graduate, but returning as a fifth-year is a little different. Most of your best friends have most likely graduated and moved and while you may be one of the oldest undergraduates on campus, you might feel as awkward as a freshmen. A world that became home and comfortable to you is still there but it's slightly different than you've known it to be and you have to find a groove to fall into. These are thoughts you'll have as you look ahead to returning to your college campus, with a victory lap planned.

Keep Reading...Show less
senior year

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments