Hi! Sorry I have been inactive all summer, I have missed writing so much. I was at an overnight summer camp for the past nine weeks. At the beginning, I was planning on still writing every week, but once I got there, I was so busy and I didn’t want to push myself to post when I didn’t want to because I didn’t want this to become something that seems like an obligation. Because this isn’t an obligation, this is a privilege. I hope you can understand.
The camp I was at this summer is home to a unique community of all girls from all different backgrounds who support each other, try new things, strive to be the best version of themselves, and have fun. It is such a drastic change from the sometimes toxic, stressful, and overwhelming environment that is home, so going to camp is like a reset and a breath of fresh air. Being in this community for these past nine weeks have taught me a lot and although I haven’t been writing here, I’ll give you a rundown on all you missed about me this summer by sharing my top takeaways and the things I learned. Maybe some of them won’t make sense to anyone other than me, but hopefully some of these points will resonate with you.
I learned:
- The good guy doesn’t always win- but they do always win in the way that matters more: leaving a better and lasting impact, earning respect and love by being a receptive leader, becoming a better person through their experiences
- What integrity means- sticking to your morals and what you believe is right now matter what
- The importance of doing the right thing even when no one is there to give you recognition for it
- You can achieve whatever you set your mind to
- Body scans that teach you to be mindful and present
- Be bold and take risks because mistakes are really not the end of the world, they are good and normal and help you improve for the next time
- Being yourself is way better and more rewarding than pretending to be somebody you’re not
- If you want people to like and respect you as a leader, lead with patience and compassion
- Don’t take any moment for granted, find the positive and the good in every situation
- By being present and in the moment, you can make important memories in unsuspected places
I am so thankful for the way the camp environment forces me to be my best and truest self. It also reinforces what my values are and how to be the person I want to be. Going into the school year, I am going to, and I think everyone reading this should as well, focus on being my most authentic self and not caring as much about what other people think of me. All the mental energy it takes to worry about what other people think is such a waste. Instead, you can use that energy to focus on being mindful, present, and making amazing memories. I am excited for all the opportunities to be my best self I have this year. I am going into the school year with an optimistic view, and when times get tough, I will remind myself of the things I learned this summer, and those things will help guide me through the challenges. Cheers to a new school year of being our truest selves! Glad to be back.
– Avery
Mentally, I’m Here 