Summer Rut? Let Me Help!
Hello everyone!
To be completely honest my summer so far has been uneventful and I have felt the most stagnant I've felt in ages. I took summer classes, dealt with some hardships, and decided to take a gap year after undergrad. My school year was tough, but somehow my summer feels equally stressful. Am I just being lazy? Am I doing something wrong? I see friends studying abroad or at their awesome internships living their best life while I take my dog on his morning walks and go grocery shopping with my mom (which I love to do both things-but aren't as exhilarating). This has been like a dark cloud hanging over my head all of summer. But although TikTok can trap me for hours I came across videos that comfort me. People who are dealing with the same feelings, or even videos with inspiring speeches in the back of movie and sports edits. These make me feel seen yet inspired. Dare I say that TikTok has helped me? More recently, I have found joy in the little things like running errands with my mom or helping my dad in the yard because these are the things I miss out on during the school year. I also sat with my thoughts and found that I'm letting something I innately cannot control ruin my summer. Everyone is on their own timeline and I truly believe that everything has its divine timing. If you're discouraged about taking a gap year, just think that everything has happened to you for a reason and led you to that decision. What if taking that gap year means you cross paths with your new best friend? What if taking that gap year means you get into your dream school? What if taking that gap year gets you to spend time with your loved ones before you have to move across the country?
It is definitely easier said than done, but if we trust the process there should be a great reward to it. This thinking has gotten me out of my rut. When I feel myself being critical of my decisions, I think that my timeline is so different than the friends I see on social media. My timeline is unique and curated just for me and no one else. So, although I say my summer has been uneventful I have definitely found that I can even lean on myself when needing words of encouragement. I hope this helped even in the slightest, but feel free to comment if you feel similar. We can all help one another! Have a peaceful summer! :)