Stepping out of my comfort zone has never really been my thing, but once for as long as I can remember, I chose familiarity over risk, because trying new things seemed harder than staying where I was most comfortable. I often felt that if I did try something new, I would be met with failure and judgment from others. But over the summer, something changed. I asked myself why I care so much about what others think of me. I mean, it's not like I was created to fit other people's standards, but rather to do what's best for me.

It all started when I was faced with a choice I couldn’t ignore: a job. Getting a job made me realize that I really needed to get over myself and begin trying new things, because with a job comes co-workers and your managers, whom you simply can’t ignore just because you're scared. I worked on myself physically and mentally. My job as a housekeeper, forced me to talk with people much older than I was and to interact with the occasional customer. At first, it was challenging, but each day it got a little easier. I liked this new version of myself and I wanted it to transfer to my life at school

Soon enough, sophomore year started, and I felt good about myself. I started wearing clothes I wouldn’t have imagined I would wear to school, ever. On random days, I would wake up early and straighten my hair, or late at night, wrap my hair into heatless curls. Freshman year, I would never have done that, because, again, change has always been hard for me.

One thing that never changed for me was soccer; it has always been a sport I've liked. As usual, I signed myself up again and put myself out there more than ever. With that confidence, I made a goal during one of our games. I felt proud of myself because at the time we were 2-2, so along with my goal, we were now 3-2 and ended up taking the win, 5-3. That single game made me realize a lot about myself. First, this year was treating me well, and second, I wasn’t as afraid as I was last year. My grades were good, and I didn’t feel burnt out, but of course, some days were tougher than others. With a positive mindset, I pushed through, started talking more with others, and made mutual connections with people I would never have guessed I would talk to. I was no longer scared of doing certain things, and I finally felt confident in what I was doing.

In the back of my head, there was still something nagging at me. There has been a sport I've been eyeing for a solid 3 years now, but whenever registration comes up, I always back out. That sport, being track and field, which felt way out of my comfort zone. I thought about it for a while and then came to the conclusion that no one is holding me back from joining except myself. So on a random Tuesday, I signed myself up. I'm not even going to lie, when I was staring at the screen, my hands were shaking, but I went through with it. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I'm now beginning a sport that terrified me.

This year has brought many opportunities, and I’m ready to chase them all. Yes, some days I still cry from stress, other days I feel stupid, but forget those days, that's why there are new days. What seemed terrifying at first became a turning point in my life, one that has made me feel better, both mentally and physically. In the end, I realized that growth starts where comfort ends

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