"Untitled" by Emily A

To live free, be happy, and stay positive at this age everything can get to be so overwhelming. Some days, I feel everything.
Other days, nothing at all. Only recently have I begun to approach things differently. Feeling
numb to the world and those who surround us is a dangerous thing because we risk relationships
to those we love, our connection to ourselves and can even cause us to make decisions that may
be detrimental to our future. You must learn to feel, embrace all the emotion has been knocking
on your frozen soul waiting to be let it in and keep living. My intention for writing this is to offer
my readers a different outlook on life. I decided to simply talk to you all and suggest a couple of
thoughts/things you can do to release parts of yourself you never knew you had within. It’s good
to accept change and let our complex souls experience.

I personally believe it is so important to put yourself in situations you feel extremely
uncomfortable in. Don’t avoid situations you find odd, get to know a variety of personalities and
get a feel for all that is out there. I have always been such a timid girl but have recently stopped
letting that trait overpower me because it has cost me far too many opportunities. Meeting new
people is such a breath of fresh air and you may just get lucky and meet some people you’d like
to keep in your life. Take a chance. Explore things on your own, you don't need a companion in
order to do that thing that's been in the back of your mind for quite sometime now. Let people
who will contribute positivity into your life in, but also be comfortable on your own. Don’t fear
new things. Humans are so funny, I can't stop thinking about a situation I was in a few weeks
back when I decided to go to Barnes and Noble alone because I wanted to get some work done in
a different environment. So, I was buying myself a coffee and noticed a small asian man about
5’4, shaved head, dark clothing looking at me from afar. I grabbed my receipt and sat at a table
and I could see that he was hesitant to approach me, I was a little worried because I had no clue
what this man wanted to say to me. He finally came up to me and asked me if I had customized
my pants myself. He liked my pants? I was in the middle of the cafe and there were a good
amount of people so I decided to give the conversation a chance plus I didn't get the urge to
knock his coffee out of his hand and make a run for it, you’d be surprised the amount of times
I've been in situations where that urge seems useful. I ended up talking to him for about three
minutes about how fashion trends come back one way or the other, he never once made me feel
uncomfortable and it seemed he was genuinely interested in pants. He was such a transparent guy
and he left a really good impression on me. As he walked away i realized the man had on the
same pants except mine had a customized cut, it wasn't sure what had really just happened but I
was okay with it and couldn't help but smile. Giving strangers a chance can be risky, I’m not
saying talk to every man who approaches you but we all have that intuition that lets us know
when something feels right. If something feels right to you, do it and be content knowing you
followed your instincts.

Be compassionate and help those around you but don't drain yourself giving all of your
energy to others while receiving nothing in return. Be the best person you can be and do all that
is in your power to find happiness but do not become selfish. Throughout my highschool career I
have learned that happiness is the one thing most important to me. I have no clue what I want to
do with my life but that is okay because I am on a path that offers me opportunities that I may
choose when I am ready. If life begins to overwhelm you, let go for a bit. Grab some speakers,
throw on a cool outfit, turn up some music and dance. Thats a good tip, I always do that when I
am feeling unsettled and need some release. Another, is to take a hot shower, but do it with the
lights off, light a single candle and put on any tunes that relax you the most. Be aware of
yourself. As odd as that might sound, I find it baffling that I sometimes live life like a robot. I try
not to do the same things everyday, just to avoid feeling uncontent or bored. Do not compare
yourself to others or live life doing what is expected of you. It's okay to not have it all together,
be messy and live with it.

Live craving knowledge, bonds, experiences and enjoy the freedom you have to do all
that you wish in this life. You must know what is good for you and have the courage it takes to
pursue anything you want at any moment. Set goals for yourself and find some passions. Try
anything new and if it's not for you, try something else. Let go of self-doubt or hate, it’s toxic.
Find love within yourself and let it consume you. Close your eyes and ask yourself, What must I
do in this moment to feel content? Do whatever is necessary to rid yourself of any conflict. If
that means eating that bag of chips you know is waiting for you on the kitchen table, then go and
grab them. Or maybe you just need need to express yourself. Create something and if it ends up
looking a little funky, just call it an abstraction. Art is art. Maybe even call someone or go to
your parents room and tell them how you are feeling. The first step to change starts with
honestly, simply ask yourself what is it you need, and do what you can to achieve bliss. Don’t
suppress emotion, let it all out and if you are considered a weirdo for expressing yourself then
welcome to the club. Find people who are open and accept you for you. Don’t take things too
seriously and know that things change. It’s up to you to choose positivity.

Overwhelmed? Yeah, me too. So, now that I have finished intentionally bombarding you
with a bunch of tips, I hope that you can take something from this or feel inspired in anyway to
begin a change for the better within anything you do. Let’s connect back to ourselves. You are
not alone, stay you and know that great things will come.