I don’t know about any of y’all, but this semester has been pretty hectic for me. And based on the people that I’ve been talking to, I’m guessing that’s a common sentiment. With the transition from Covid College to In-person, professors overloading and overworking us, and the pressure of learning to be social again, we’ve been through a lot.
It’s easy to feel crushed under the weight of everything. Or, to feel like you’re drowning in the sea of everything that you have to get done. I just want you to know that it’s okay to feel this way. Everyone does, at one point or another. So, to get you back on track and in good spirits, I have five quotes to keep you going!
1. “No Bad Days”
This one is pretty simple. And no, nothing is as simple as telling yourself not to have any bad days. Of course, you’re going to have bad days. Let this quote be more of a reminder that your “bad day” will not last forever. Let it also remind you to try and find one thing in your bad day that is good. Focus on that one thing. Your day may not be as bad as you perceived it to be. Plus, one day, you could look back on that day and take something meaningful from it — maybe, a lesson or growth. And remember, the grass is always greener on the other side.
2. “I’m Unstoppable” … “I’m something special, can’t take that from me”
These two phrases or quotes go together. They’re actually song lyrics from Koryn Hawthorne’s song “Unstoppable.” It’s a gospel song, so I didn’t want to recommend that everyone listen to it, if they aren’t Christian. But, it’s full of quotes that can be used as mantras to empower yourself and push yourself forward. These two quotes, in specific, helped me a lot when I was in a rough space last year. Repeating these things to myself, writing them on my dry erase board, etc. really helped me get through that time. The more you say it to yourself, the more you begin to believe it. Sometimes, all we need is reassurance and confidence to get through hard times — to remind us that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
3. “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously”
This one is just a great reminder that we don’t have to be perfect all of the time. I tend to get in my head and overthink a lot of things. I stress out a lot about what I should be doing and where I should be in life by this point. But, this quote reminds me that I am a work in progress. It’s okay to be a work in progress. And it’s definitely okay to have high expectations for myself. I just can’t let them overwhelm me. Eventually, we will get to where we want to be. We just aren’t there yet. And that’s okay.
4. “You can’t calm the storm, but you can calm yourself. The storm will pass”
I think that this quote follows a similar grain to the previous one. Except, this one is a reminder that while we can’t control what’s happening outside of ourselves, we can control how we react to it. You may have a ton of tests, essays, and projects coming up along with your work responsibilities. You may have a professor that overloads you with work. Your relationships with your significant other or friends may be a little off-balance.
All of these things may be happening to you at once. And you may feel like you can’t do anything right because of all of these outside pressures and responsibilities. But, if you allow yourself to accept that you’re only human and that you can’t control everything, a huge chunk of that burden will be lifted and you’ll feel a lot better. Take a step back. Take a deep breath. And do what you can. That’s the best that you can do and sometimes, it’s the only thing that you can do.
5. “Take it one day at a time — one step at a time”
This quote is kind of all-encompassing, I think. We, as human beings, can only do so much. We are capable of only so much. And while those things will be great, they take time. You will get frustrated. You will feel overwhelmed. But, if you can remind yourself to take it one day at a time, and one step at a time, you’ll feel a bit less frustrated and overwhelmed. Start studying earlier. Start that paper earlier. Take a sick day from work, if you can, to relax and take care of yourself. All good things come with time. Try not to force or rush anything — especially not yourself.
I hope that these quotes inspire you to keep going and to keep your head up! They’ve actually really helped me as reminders and positive self-talk. Let me know if these quotes help you or if you find your own that resonate more — I’d love to hear them! Good luck this week! I know you’ll be great.