Last year I reflected on a desire to be able to say no to commitments I am unable to do. As I look back at the 2018-2019 school year, I see many times where I pushed myself to my limit. However, I also see the other instances, perhaps more infrequent, when I paused and allowed myself to say no to commitments or opportunities.
It would be disingenuous to say I excelled at this commitment. However, I did progress even if it was just one small no at a time. As it seems to happen every year, this year was my busiest year yet. With a full class load, a capstone and a graduate course, commitments to extra curriculars and leadership opportunities, and juggling several different jobs, I learned an important lesson: there is a difference between giving up and letting go.
I am not wired to give up. I hate the thought of backing out of a commitment or falling short and walking away. I have always equated letting go with giving up. Giving up is accepting defeat, but letting go is accepting that there is no need to have a battle in the first place.
An essential part of learning to let go is being open to failure. Failing, and failing hard, often grants me more wisdom than sailing through with success every time. This year involved a lot of letting go and failing hard. I am learning to grant myself the grace I need to learn from these experiences, which is a lesson I will carry with me into my last semester at UC, and for the rest of my life.
I see these lessons as all very much connected to each other. The ability to say no, however challenging, is a commitment to protecting my energy and time. A willingness to distinguish between giving up and letting go allows me to pursue the right opportunities without feeling disappointed. A new commitment to being open to failure will allow me to invest myself in opportunities fully and without hesitation, and learn from mistakes when I inevitably make them.
It is bittersweet to write this knowing there is one semester between me and graduation from UC. My time at UC, especially in Honors, has shaped me into a scholar, a leader, and an advocate. I am comfortable at UC; however, I find myself excited for new, exciting opportunities that lie beyond campus, beyond Cincinnati, and perhaps beyond this country.
It would be disingenuous to say I excelled at this commitment. However, I did progress even if it was just one small no at a time. As it seems to happen every year, this year was my busiest year yet. With a full class load, a capstone and a graduate course, commitments to extra curriculars and leadership opportunities, and juggling several different jobs, I learned an important lesson: there is a difference between giving up and letting go.
I am not wired to give up. I hate the thought of backing out of a commitment or falling short and walking away. I have always equated letting go with giving up. Giving up is accepting defeat, but letting go is accepting that there is no need to have a battle in the first place.
An essential part of learning to let go is being open to failure. Failing, and failing hard, often grants me more wisdom than sailing through with success every time. This year involved a lot of letting go and failing hard. I am learning to grant myself the grace I need to learn from these experiences, which is a lesson I will carry with me into my last semester at UC, and for the rest of my life.
I see these lessons as all very much connected to each other. The ability to say no, however challenging, is a commitment to protecting my energy and time. A willingness to distinguish between giving up and letting go allows me to pursue the right opportunities without feeling disappointed. A new commitment to being open to failure will allow me to invest myself in opportunities fully and without hesitation, and learn from mistakes when I inevitably make them.
It is bittersweet to write this knowing there is one semester between me and graduation from UC. My time at UC, especially in Honors, has shaped me into a scholar, a leader, and an advocate. I am comfortable at UC; however, I find myself excited for new, exciting opportunities that lie beyond campus, beyond Cincinnati, and perhaps beyond this country.
