Self-compassion Leads to Greater Success by Tanya

Self-compassion Leads to Greater Success by Tanya - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had many wonderful teachers in my life. I love those teachers with the magical ability to transform a potentially dull topic into something intriguing and engaging. The most important lesson I’ve learned from a teacher, however, was not an academic one but a life lesson. Last year was my first year as a full time college student in a challenging, science-heavy nutrition program at Bastyr University. During my first two quarters, I was a mess. I always felt on the brink of a nervous breakdown. I was struggling to juggle all of my responsibilities, maintain my friendships and relationships, and live up to the academic goals I’d set for myself.
Last quarter began much the same way. I had a presentation a couple of weeks in and my anxiety had skyrocketed. Luckily, I was taking a course called Physical Activity and Wellness and the material presented by my professor was unlike that of all my other courses. The emphasis of the class was on understanding and supporting one’s own wellbeing and how every other aspect of life affects and is affected by it. My professor promoted the idea of practicing self-compassion and putting one’s health above all else. She helped me to realize that unless I was healthy and okay, I couldn’t put forth my best effort in my studies or any other avenue of my life. This very obvious idea came as a revelation to me and I began making changes in the way I approached my studying and my time. Although my course load was heavier than the previous quarters, I was able to divert some of my precious study time to my health and happiness. I began exercising and meditating regularly. I discovered that setting aside time for myself nourished an inner sense of peace. While my classmates talked about pulling all-nighters and forgetting to eat, I felt healthier, calmer and more secure than I had all year. When I put my emotional and physical health first, my anxiety diminished and I could focus more easily on my studies. I credit my professor and this valuable lesson for my decreased anxiety and my improved academic success. For the first time all year, I earned straight As! My professor taught me a truly valuable lesson and it is one that I intend to pass on to others in the hopes that they will stop treating health and happiness as a future goal but something that is attainable right now. Setting aside time for oneself is not detrimental to the achievement of other goals but essential for optimizing one’s ability to succeed.