My 2024 Mantra

My life feels different. At the start of winter break, I couldn’t quite figure out why, but I’ve recently realized I’ve stopped thinking about the past.

For 6 years, I’d find myself instinctively obsessed with where I was the year prior.  And then I’d desperately try to relive that year as if I was scripting a movie: eat the same foods and do similar activities. Even my wardrobe was a throwback. Maybe I lived retrospectively because I thought my past was better than my present. 

But I was wrong. My past was predictable but not necessarily better. My junior year was a low point. I lost all of my instincts and I had no idea what I enjoyed anymore. So when my senior year rolled around, I knew I couldn’t try to recreate junior year because it didn’t help my situation. 

Forcing myself to finally move on and live in the moment, I worked on changing my habits. First, I spent time alone. I discovered who I was by allowing my mind to wander solo. Second, I started to listen to my instincts. In the past, I’d find myself relying on known comforts, but I now knew this would only leave me drained and unfulfilled. Lastly, I worked on a new mantra: “Good things will happen if I don't force them like before.”

Today, I live such a beautiful and authentic life. No longer bogged down by the past, I look to a brighter future.