finding an outlet

As I have said many times before, life is crazy and there is always a lot going on. Whether it is work, school, internships, mental health, maintaining a social life, and trying to stay sane through it all, there is a lot that everybody goes through. One of the most important coping skills that I have come to learn about is having any kind of outlet. Whenever we think of an outlet for ourselves most people think about having a creative outlet such as journaling, painting, writing (me), or even social media. But the trick is that you must find one that works for you.

Finding an outlet for yourself is not as easy as some people make it seem. If I have ever made it seem easy, then I apologize. It has taken a lot of trial and error for me to find something that I love doing that not only helps me express myself creatively and gives my mind good stimulation but also something that I enjoy and can take some stress away.

While I absolutely love to write and share my thoughts, feelings, or experiences, I was not always like this. As a kid, I loved to read and write. Hell, I read some of the Harry Potter books in just a few days when I was in 4th grade. But, as I grew older and school started becoming harder, I fell out of love with it. It wasn’t as much fun and there were no choices that truly engaged me at the time. The books that I read were titles that I could not relate to and the papers I was writing were, honestly, boring. They brought me no joy in life. In true high schooler fashion, I decided that I hated reading and writing and that I wanted no part of it in my life.

During my sophomore year, I was looking for fashion internships and found one based around writing. At this point, I was looking for experience and wanted to get my hands dirty in the industry. I thought “What the hell? I might as well apply.” I was granted the internship and it truly changed my life. It helped me realize that I love to write and share with others about different topics whether it be sports, fashion, mental health, or just some random thoughts that I am having.

Once the spark was there, I realized that you can’t try just one thing and call it a day. There are so many ways to try writing, journaling, photography, and music, and when one way doesn’t work, try another. Having a creative outlet is important and I hope that you can find one because once you find it, you will hold onto it forever, or at least I will.

k…now rage