Caroline W., Oakwood High School
Attitude is Everything
No school! Woo-hoo! A three week vacation was just what I needed. A chance to catch my breath and decompress from the stressors of junior high school, ...or so I thought.
Arriving home, I realized my misconception. This was no vacation. In fact, all of the plans I envisioned on my joyous walk home from school were shattered. Sadness and despair crept into my soul.
¨Vacation¨ turned into one cancellation after another. Our family trip, my ballet intensive, swim team, theater camp, and hanging out with friends all ceased. Thoughts of loss were swarming in my head like bees. They were sucking the life out of me. I needed to change my thoughts. As Maya Angelou said, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." But how?
Self-reflection emerged like a butterfly from a chrysalis. I needed to change my thoughts and actions from negative to positive.
Daily writing in a gratitude journal opened my eyes to being thankful for small things in life. The pandemic provided us the opportunity for family dinners, and daily reflection allowed me to be present in our laughter and rich conversations. Smiling at neighbors on daily walks from across the street, saying thank you to my family, and connecting virtually with my friends were small changes that improved my attitude.
Yoga kept me centered in a time of uncertainty. I began practicing yoga daily. Working on my breath, becoming one with my body, and self-focusing were life changing. My tension and negative thoughts slowly began to decrease, and a sense of calmness took over during what seemed like a big storm. Yoga brought joy into my life and led to me becoming a better person.
Being mindful of my emotions during the pandemic helped me accept the hurt, frustration, anger, and sadness I felt, but allowed me to not dwell on the negative and find the positive in the situation. When I was down about missing the summer swim team, I welcomed the sadness, but relished that I would have more free time to explore new endeavors.
My changed attitude granted me the wisdom to find the silver lining. Although I wasn't able to attend Nashville ballet, I was able to take a small group ballet class and met my favorite dance teacher. I participated in a virtual theater production, rather than live, and instead of a family trip to the mountains, we found togetherness while tent camping. These would never have happened without the pandemic.
I learned that the one constant throughout this time was gratitude and how important it is to reflect and be grateful everyday. Attitude is everything.
