My ‘Notes’ app is full of quotes that I have stumbled upon over the years, along with thoughts I have had while listening to podcasts or song lyrics that changed my perspective. I often find myself returning to these notes when I am having a difficult day and need something to keep me going. I hope everyone reading this will find comfort in these notes.
“Happiness is not something you have to achieve. You can still be happy in the process if achieving something.”
This reminded me that happiness is not an end goal. When timelines consume me and the stress of trying to juggle social life, academics, and all, while planning for the future takes away the little joys in my everyday life, this quote reminds me to enjoy the process of achieving a goal. Goals are never-ending. We always have new dreams and aspirations; it’s the journey that matters more. It keeps me grounded in the present and creates memories that will last. I am reminded not to let go of the things that make me happy and use them to make the process more enjoyable.
“ You didn’t come here because no one could join you. You came because you wanted to be here.”
All through high school, I was so used to being surrounded by the same people and sharing so many experiences with them that it made moving across the world for college, at a place where I didn’t know anyone, feel so scary. I had to start from scratch, leave the life I had behind, and build a new one thousands of miles away from home. Being at college has forced me to face so many challenges, especially learning to be okay with doing things alone. At first, I had concerns about not enjoying myself, being scared of what others would think, and having FOMO as I saw people with their friend groups while I was walking alone. These words helped me change my mindset. It reminded me that it was important to put myself before what others thought. Looking back, I can think of a few instances when I ended up backing out of things I wanted to do because I didn’t have people to do them with. Hearing these words made me realise how much I was missing out on by waiting for someone to want the same things as me. It was the little push I needed to create opportunities and experiences for myself because I wanted to. This truly changed the way I view solo activities and enjoy being in my own company.
“Feelings are not right or wrong. They are just feelings.“
I think I often get caught up in feelings and invalidate them. I have caught myself thinking that I shouldn’t be feeling certain things because it’s wrong, and that somebody probably is experiencing something more serious. I used to be, and sometimes still am, scared to be open about my feelings because of this. This quote, however, helped me come to terms with the fact that my feelings are just as important as anyone else’s. Feelings are unique to each individual, so there cannot be a right or wrong way to feel emotions.
“7 billion different worlds, Shining with 7 billion lights.”
This song lyric compares each individual to a star that adorns the night sky. Each of these “stars” has its oun world that shines in its own unique way. These lyrics feel very empowering to me as they celebrate uniqueness and individuality. It reminds me to not let go of those things that make me me. It is important to keep your uniqueness in a world that is constantly changing, and these lyrics remind me to remain grounded in my true self. It encourages me to be proud of my past and be in control of my present.
These notes are now yours too. Return to them on difficult days, share them with someone who needs them, add a few notes of your own.
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