The Power of a Year

At this time last year I was in an extremely rough place in my life. My anxiety was at an all time high and I constantly felt like I was disappointing people. I had a lot going on emotionally, a lot of decisions to make, and a lot more on my plate than I had ever experienced. I had this journal from sophomore year that I would write in almost everyday and as I flipped through it before I left for college, I just remember that from September to October my entries were full of hopelessness. I have two vivid, standout moments from that time span. The first, a baseball game that inspired this post (it has the most views out of any of my posts, which I didn't ever think would happen. The second, venting to my manager, Kathy, at work for our entire 5 hour shift on whether or not I should quit my second job and quit swimming. She offered me some of the best advice I've ever been given, advice I needed to hear, that made my decisions clear. 
Yay for hiking and exploring parks around Springfield. Also, thanks to Rachel for all of these photos
I also went to a few therapy sessions that taught me how to handle my anxiety. While I was terrified to go at first, the sessions I went to were extremely beneficial, even if I only went to a few. By taking these steps, I ended up enjoying my senior year a lot more than I thought I would.
I squint in every photo ever taken, but Rachel also took these photos of me while we explored a garden.
This butterfly was attached to me the entire time.
That being said, though, at this time last year I had no idea how much happier I would be just a year later. I'm at a college that makes me so incredibly happy, surrounded by people who I am learning so much from, and pursuing academic interests I am passionate about. What I would tell my senior year self is simple- "you have no idea how great things will be in a year." Choosing Drury was the best decision I've ever made. Each day I fall more in love with this college. I still have bouts of anxiety, that won't ever change and I've accepted it, but with the tools I learned a year ago, I know how to handle it better. I've done so much within the past two months. I cannot wait to see what else I will accomplish this year. I hope that when I reflect upon my life in September of 2017, I will be even happier than I am today. 


Adventures. 


Until next time,
Taylor xx

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