​Unchecked

As a teenager, I've realized something about myself and my peers: we're incredibly good at staying the same. We stick to familiar groups, avoid challenging subjects, and even choose the same flavor of coffee. But after diving into Stoic philosophy and Adlerian psychology, and they've both taught me something crucial – growth only happens when we step outside our comfort zones. The Stoic Path: Embracing Voluntary Discomfort The ancient Stoics had this wild concept called "volu

Question 1: What if the past doesn't own me? For years, I believed my difficult experiences had fundamentally shaped who I was – and not in a good way. Family conflicts had made me "someone who struggles with relationships." Academic pressure had made me "an anxious perfectionist." Social difficulties had made me "awkward and self-conscious." I carried these identities like permanent tattoos, assuming they were just part of who I was now. Then I read something that stopped me

For two years, I was obsessed with finding my purpose. I took every career quiz online. I read dozens of articles about "discovering your passion." I analyzed my interests, made pro/con lists about different college majors, and spent hours trying to envision my "ideal future self." The result? Complete paralysis. The more I searched for this mysterious thing called "purpose," the more confused and anxious I became. Everyone else seemed to have clarity while I felt like I was

Three months ago, I started keeping a "rejection collection." Not because I'm a masochist, but because I noticed something weird: the people I admired most had way more rejections than successes. They just didn't talk about them as much. My English teacher mentioned getting rejected from twelve literary magazines before her first story was published. A senior I knew got waitlisted or rejected from eight colleges before finding his perfect fit. Even my favorite YouTuber talked

Last Tuesday, I spent four hours studying for a history quiz that should have taken me one hour to prepare for. Not because the material was particularly difficult, but because I kept second-guessing myself. I'd read a section, take notes, then re-read it because I wasn't sure I understood it perfectly. Then I'd reorganize my notes. Then I'd make flashcards. Then I'd remake the flashcards because the first ones weren't color-coded properly. By the time I finally went to bed,

Last week, I had to work on a group project with someone I'll call "The Complainer." Every idea was terrible. Every suggestion had problems. Every plan was doomed to fail. By the third meeting, I was ready to either scream or transfer schools. Then my philosophy-obsessed brain kicked in: what would Marcus Aurelius do? Turns out, the ancient Stoics and modern psychologists have identified specific patterns in difficult behavior. Even better, they've figured out targeted strate

I used to check my friend's Instagram stories obsessively. Not because I particularly cared about her daily smoothie recipes or studying aesthetic photos, but because I was constantly measuring my life against hers. She seemed to have it all figured out – perfect grades, tons of friends, always looked put-together, and got into her dream college early decision. Meanwhile, I was struggling with mathematics, felt socially awkward half the time, and spent most mornings frantical

Last month, I spent three weeks agonizing over which electives to take next semester. Three weeks. For classes that, let's be honest, probably won't change the trajectory of my life. But there I was, making a pros and cons list, asking everyone I knew for their opinions, and lying awake wondering if a wrong choice would somehow ruin my future. Sound familiar? If you're like me, you've probably turned these kinds of decisions into emotional marathons that leave you exhausted a

I used to think inner peace meant sitting cross-legged on a mountain somewhere, completely at peace and unbothered by the chaos of daily life. Turns out, I was completely wrong. My "inner peace journey" started during one of those overwhelming weeks we all know too well – three tests, a project deadline, relationships falling apart, and college profile preparation all hitting at once. I was lying in bed at midnight, mind racing, when I realized something had to change. I coul

Picture this: It's 2 AM, and I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling, my mind racing through every possible way my SAT exam could go wrong next week. What if my brain just stopped functioning? What if I correct my answer into the wrong one? What if I haven’t prepared enough? Sound familiar? As a high school student, I've learned that future anxiety is basically our generation's default setting. We're constantly bombarded with important decisions to do with college, career pat

A couple months ago, I handed in an artwork I was actually quite proud of. Within an hour, some guy in our project just popped up and dropped a comment: “Hmmm, I don’t see the difference between this and some middle school design.” My stomach dropped. My face got hot. I wanted to delete everything and never create art again. I felt like I was inadequate. Maybe I wasn’t handling criticism very well back then. Here's the thing about negative emotions – they hit like a freight t

Picture this: It's midnight on a Sunday, and I'm scrolling through Instagram brainrot reels while simultaneously breaking down about everything that's going wrong in my life. Then, my friend just posted a timelapse of her doing a study challenge. Then another one uploads a story with his incredible skills with the piano. Meanwhile, I'm over here feeling like I can barely keep up with my regular classes. Sound familiar? After years of trying to navigate this chaotic world, I'