Dear Annalia - by Annalia Farren

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Annalia Farren at Pima Community College

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Dear Annalia,

Look at you..so young and full of life despite everything. I wish I could just give you a big hug and let you know how unstoppable you are. You can truly do anything you want with your life. This life is yours and yours only. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. I am writing to you because I know how hard things can be for you sometimes and I would like to provide some ways to alleviate your stressors and stay focused on how to give yourself the best life. I know there have been times where you felt like the world around you was collapsing, like a tornado ripping up everything good in your life. There have been times where you just want everything to stop and all you want is complete silence and stillness. Unfortunately that is not attainable but what you can do is find little ways to limit your hard times and change your mentality.

The first step in leading a greater life is to remove people, places, and ideas in your mind that no longer fit the life you wish to fulfill. Anyone who brings you down has got to go. People are going to try and nit pick even the smallest things about you; don't let them have that power. Let go of friendships that aren't 50/50. Hold onto those genuine people who fill you with joy and keep them close. Find a good support system and maintain those relationships with all your might. Let go of friends who just take and take without offering anything in return. Look for people who show they love you because anyone can just throw those words to you, but actions speak louder than words. Trust your instincts with this one. If it doesn’t seem right then it probably isn’t.

Leave and do not return to places that cause you more harm than pleasure. Not everywhere has to feel like home but there are only so many bad feelings one place can cause before turning sour. It’s better to not let it get to that point and just listen to how you're feeling in certain places. Work spaces, school, homes of acquaintances, anywhere you go. Listen to how you're feeling.

Let go of ideas that don’t allow you to be open and confident. This goes hand in hand with caring how others view you. You will live such a different life once you decide to care what you think about yourself and not let that be affected by outside opinions. You are truly the only one who has to live with yourself so you determine your worth. You determine what makes you a good or bad person; you decide to carry positive qualities or negative ones. You and you alone possess that power.

Another thing that could really help you out is trying to shift from a pessimistic view to a more optimistic one. Easier said than done I know but it is so important. In trying to accomplish a more positive mindset you are challenging yourself to be more open minded about possibilities. Specifically focusing on the efficacious outcomes rather than the negatives. Narrowing in on the positives keeps your mind forward-looking. Why be negative when you can be positive? You are making it harder on yourself, try not to let circumstances determine everything. Use the power of your mind; it is so much stronger than you think.

The biggest piece I have to mention is choosing to live. Get up everyday with an intention to feel alive. Do something with your day, even if it is small, anything that makes you happy or creative. It can be progressive, exciting, relaxing, just something to get a good emotion flowing. Get out of bed and into something beneficial. Move your body, whether that is dancing, yoga, gym, swimming, or even something smaller like stretching. You are the only one who can make your life worth living; this can definitely be a hard achievement but start small. It’s all you can do. When you get older it is going to feel like everything is speeding up; before you can even catch your breath, this ride we call life will be coming to a stop. Take it all in and life to the fullest. I have to mention there are many things you are already doing to improve your mental quality. Listening to music is a big one. Using music to feel and work through your own emotions is such a powerful tool. You are pretty intune with your body and emotions but there is always room for improvement. Spending time and being a friend to yourself can boost how harmonious you are within.

These are just a few things that can truly help better your peace of mind. None of these are a one and done type of situation either. Maintaining a peaceful headspace and surrounding atmosphere takes work and constant keep up. Just be attentive. It is a lot of work but I know you can do it; it will be so worth it in the end. There’s only so much you have to actually go through, the rest is just extra we throw onto ourselves. It doesn't have to be that way. Keep going please and be as clear minded as possible. Have fun and live your life to your fullest capabilities. Help yourself out; life doesn't have to be so hard all the time.

Love you