William C.
Photography by LeighAnn Henderson
If you’re reading this, remember to slow yourself down.
Reliance can be a vessel of care but also destruction. The theme of self-destruction in ourselves has become too familiar. We have the misconception of putting pressure on ourselves to gain the approval of others. We strive for excellence, to make people like us, but why? Is it because we think it will lead to fulfillment? Then, we capture a feeling of acceptance for a second, and it evaporates. Feeling pressure to succeed, pressure to provide.
For most of my life, I have put a weight on gaining acceptance and pleasing people. Forcing stress onto myself when it was unnecessary. Since being at Clemson, life has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. A new environment surrounded by strangers can be intimidating and nerve-wracking. There is an overwhelming sense of rush that I have felt while being at school. Rush to be involved, rush to be doing something crazy, or just a rush to be busy. This leads to stretching ourselves thin while being pulled in several directions because we are constantly going and going. Causing exhaustion and a great amount of anxiety. The idea of looking for the next best thing in our lives can be misleading. If we are always looking for the next thing to fulfill us, we can never enjoy what is in front of us. This was the source of the anxiety and stress that poured into my life.
Personally, I will be so focused on and stressed about doing the next thing that it will make me less productive. Wanting to be constantly on the move and ignoring any idea of self-care ultimately leads to a dead end. I encourage you to take time and reflect on yourself if you have felt like this. In my life, I have found so much joy when being able to sit and reflect on all the little joys and contentment that surround me. That is our goal: to feel content with our lives and ourselves. I have been able to find that peace and contentment in my faith in Jesus Christ, a picture of a fast-paced yet calm life with a specific direction. Problems arise when we try to find satisfaction in things that run out on us.
Self-reflection is vital to finding your positive direction because it forces you to dissect the world around you and see how you want your life to be different. Without this idea of direction, it is very easy to become stretched out and exhausted from life. I encourage you to slow down, look around, and see the simple joy around you.
William C., Clemson University
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