Head: Finding inspiration in times of discouragement  

By: Paula Martin

[email protected]

I am an easily inconsistent person when it comes to my aspiring profession. I can go from wanting to be an architect, to wanting to be a photographer, then a journalist, and it goes on. Perhaps I think about it too much; perhaps too many passions makes for none strong enough.  

Throughout college, discouragement often welcomes itself into our lives without our request. For me, it is a sudden, occasional lack of confidence that calls for change during times that also lack motivation. It is natural – when we are in doubt of our paths, in doubt of ourselves and the impact we can make in our fields of study, suddenly we attract risky thoughts of reconsideration of what we are doing.  

Today, I found the words of encouragement that I needed.  

Marisa Kwiatkowski, the reporter who broke the news about USA Gymnastics and the sexual assaults that have occured within it, spoke at GVSU about the journey of giving people a voice. The event was amusing – simply a display of human power, a display of justice, a display of humble reach. 

I realized the importance of forcing ourselves to be reminded constantly of the accomplishments within our fields. If every single day, for ten minutes, I listened to someone who gives a voice to the voiceless, I would feel my purpose – and I would feel blood racing through my veins with excitement to continue to push through.  

As the end of the semester approaches, it is crucial to a positive mindset and trying to “get stoked” about the path and career that we are pursuing. It is crucial to block the negative emotions towards school, because the truth is, negative thoughts will never reject you; they will wait with their arms open; and the more energy given towards negative thoughts, the more they will grow. Block them with inspiration. Anytime that you find yourself questioning if this is worth it, look up the positive change that has occured in the world from the work of someone who priorly stood in your shoes.