Progress Isn't Linear by Kassidy

Progress Isn't Linear by Kassidy - December 2022 Scholarship Essay

2022 has been a year of growth for me. I feel that I changed immensely as a person and became healthier both mentally and physically. That aside, I have experienced a lot of struggles that I plan to use in order to better myself for 2023, one of them being my constant struggle with body image. Ever since I was younger, I have always had issues with how I looked, but this year in general has been more difficult. As I have gotten further into weightlifting, I constantly push myself to do better. What I have learned from this is that progress is not always linear, and sometimes it is okay to take breaks when I am tired. As of next year, it will be my goal to keep working out in a way that makes me feel comfortable rather than guilty.
Along with that, this year has been very taxing academically. I am a person who is very organized and intelligent, but it comes with a cost. Despite being a straight-A student, the amount of time I put into my work is consuming and hard on my mental health. Senior year has meant facing more difficult classes on top of working part-time and being involved in an abundance of extracurriculars. The lesson I have learned from this is to take it easy when it comes to school, so as to avoid becoming burnt out. For this reason, my plan for 2023 is to continue being a good student but not get so worked up over having perfect grades, which will help me in the long run.
Aside from academics and working out, another lesson I learned this year is that it is okay to not be okay. In 2022, I faced a lot of uncomfortable truths once I was diagnosed with depression and put on medication. It has never been easy for me to speak about feelings or acknowledge that all the self-pity I have is not “normal”, so it took a lot for me to ask for help, but once I did, I felt a sense of relief. I hope to carry this newfound happiness into the New Year and continue to work on myself. 2022 has taught me a lot and I look forward to whatever 2023 throws at me.