MILA B., Northmont Middle School
My plan for a good life
"The more things you do, the more you can do” - Lucille Ball. Living a good life can be hard, but genuine happiness is possible if you have a positive mindset. To me, positivity is being confident, loving yourself and knowing that you matter. Sometimes life can be tough, but loving who you are can lead to a good life. Dottie Yeck taught that being good and doing good means you will have fun and be happy. My plan for a good life is that I want to be kind to myself and others, be optimistic, and make the world a better place.
Last year, my mamaw passed away and I was having a hard time dealing with the loss on my own. I was often rude to my peers and family, and I would lash out a lot. I knew that I needed to go to the counselor, but I was worried that they would minimize my situation. I worried they would think it wasn’t a big deal. I had to decide if I was more scared of the counselors judgement, or continuing to live negatively. I choose to be brave and get the help I needed. I chose a positive attitude so I could overcome my grief and be kinder to myself and others.
After going to the counselor for a while, my situation got better over time and I started to be happier with the life I was able to live. I felt more confident in myself and felt like I really mattered. I discovered that I was able to truly be happy and love myself. Choosing a positive mindset taught me that facing my fear was the best way to heal and learn from my struggles and shut out negative influences.
To continue to live a happy, fulfilling life I will remind myself of my strengths, and view my mistakes as lessons that I can learn and grow from. When schoolwork becomes difficult I will seek the guidance I need from my family or peers. When I come across negative people I will view them as a chance to practice empathy and remember that negativity comes from personal pain. To choose good friends I will look for people who make me feel safe and comfortable. Good friends are people who don’t see your success as their failure. They respect your boundaries and support you. To stay happy I will support others and make sure I am being a kind person.
In conclusion, overcoming the loss of my mamaw and choosing self-love has completely changed how I view the world. Believing that I mattered helped me turn into the best version of myself. Speaking to my counselor and facing my fears helped me get my confidence back. By viewing everyone with empathy and treating mistakes as lessons, I am sure to be truly happy throughout my life. I know that by following Dottie Yeck’s philosophy I will live a happy life and make my mamaw proud.
