By : Kaelyn Dickinson
It’s FINALLY here ! The last week of spring semester! To some, this week is a celebratory occasion and to others it’s an agonizing race to the finish line. Personally, I feel that this week is simultaneously filled with happiness and stress. You may ask, “Kaelyn is that possible”? Well, in my world, yes, it is possible. It’s filled with happiness because summer is inching closer by the day, and it’s stressful because finals are around the corner. I must admit, this academic year has been a whirlwind of change, ups and downs and at a glance it seems as if time has suddenly decided to go into overdrive.
Recounting the moments, this academic year has been overwhelmingly filled with an array of reality checks. I’ve come to the realization that working to improve, rather than striving for perfection is much more sustainable. I’ll be the first to raise my hand and admit I am inclined to be a perfectionist and overachiever. I own that about myself. But, the pressures and stressors of perfecting everything come with a costs.
My lesson this school year-you are not some sort of perfect mechanical, robotic, supernatural superhero that does everything perfect and ‘right’. In fact, I am human which means just like a car runs out of gas, so can I as a human being. This academic year has taught me not to ignore my flashing empty light. There comes a time when everyone needs to visit a fueling station that’s just a part of self-care. My fueling station is going home from time to time to visit family and friends. Now, my fueling station may differ from yours but it is still significant for you to take time to care about YOU.
Often times as humans, we neglect ourselves for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, self-negligence is not intentional but it is something we push off until our body tells us we can’t go on any longer. It just like driving a car knowing the empty light is on but waiting until the last minute to go to the gas station. Realistically, no one wants to get stuck on the side of the road- after all, how will you get to your destination on time? You could risk running late or not getting there at all. In other words, remember the importance of fueling yourself whether it be mentally, physically, spiritually or emotionally. Whatever works for you, do it for you and not for anyone else. It is not selfish to care for yourself, it actually helps in maintaining your balance, peace, sanity and wholeness as a being.
When are you going to make time to fuel ?
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