There Is No Right Way | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

There Is No Right Way

Put yourself first...

9
There Is No Right Way
Jens Lelie

There is no right way. I'm cringing as I write this, because despite my knowledge of this fact, I have been tragically plagued with perfectionism for as long as I can remember. Always so concerned with the rules, grade school through high school I hated the idea of disappointing my parents, friends, my teachers…anyone really. I saw flaws in myself where there were none and got tied up countless times overthinking how to do things the "right way" whether it be how I said hi in the morning, or what extracurriculars I chose to do.

We are raised in a society that believes giving up ourselves on a daily basis for others is honorable. The truth is that we can't help anyone if we don't help ourselves. It sounds simple, it sounds obvious, but trust me, it's all in the subtleties. A friend asks you to go somewhere you don't wanna go so they won't be lonely, a co-worker asks you to cover their shift when you're already exhausted, you say yes. Young women, especially have been taught to be compliant and "nice", despite the cost.

I just thought I was a people-pleaser, I wanted to be helpful to everyone else, I was selfless, right? So many years later I know that I was actually the opposite. I believed that giving of myself to everyone else made me a good person, but all I was doing was depleting my energy. Lucky for me, I have a super bad-ass mom who has no problems breaking rules, going around roadblocks and always encouraged me to put myself first above all. Remembering to put self-care first when life gets stressful is important because it can help clear your mind for better decision-making.

I'm still learning to respect the way the universe works: we only have so much control and there are so many different roads to get to the same place. Our lives don't fit into a mold, we don't have to do anything no one makes us….we choose it. Being a young adult, the pressure to make important decisions is stressful, the world becomes significantly more open, there are so many options. This is a reminder to you (and me) that there is no right way to live, there is only what we choose and our acceptance of the outcome.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

418
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

317
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

1999
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

877
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments