I wish people would take the “moment” that everyone suggests to deal with stress. The phrase “take a moment” means a whole lot more than just “stop what you’re doing” and “take a break” in its variations.

We all have those moments where we get confused about what direction we’re going to go, where we’ll end up, what we’ll do when we get there. But does it matter right now? You’re in this period where right is left, up is over somewhere, and learning lessons the hard way is costing you an arm and leg; but sadly that’s how life teaches you these things.

I was having some coffee with my boyfriend not too long ago, and the question popped up. ”I wonder how my life will proceed?” Quite frankly, it’s terrifying as someone this young to be thinking “where will it go?” We are at this tender age where mistakes that happen cost us more than what the mistake is actually worth. Yet, it’s something that we all have to go through. You realize a lot of things once you “take” that moment people keep telling you about.

While thinking in that “moment” I realized that I don’t have to worry as much as I do. After running around the recent Career Fair, and after the fiasco of the flurry of tests and assignments, I finally got to sit down and stare at my ceiling for a good amount of time. I finally felt at ease.

Why?

That’s because all that I’m doing now is going to get me to the places I want to go. If I work hard now, it will be worth it in the long run. I want to believe in that mentality. I’ve heard all the stories, and I’ve met the people who worked themselves to the bone and pushed themselves to the very limits of what they can handle. Those who worked became some of the most respectable people in the country. If that’s not a testament to society, I don’t know what is.

After a little while, you’ll start to think “Oh, but I’ll never be like those people!” Quite frankly, you will never be those people. So be you instead, you’re all you have at the end of the day. So what, if the smart kid next to you got a better grade? So what, if some kid is better at speaking in public than you? You can probably wire that circuit board better than anyone in that class, or program something so much better than them.

You are who you are, so use what you know about yourself to your advantage. What you realize after a while is that no matter what, at the end of the day, the only person you have to impress is you, and that self-confidence shows everyone else what you’re capable of.

What exactly is that “moment” though? Do you need to sit down for a long time to think to yourself? Do you need to set aside a time to relax through a book and escape into another reality? A “moment” is whatever you want it to be. If you feel like new and ready to go afterward, then there’s that “moment”. It varies from person to person, of course, and some people need it more so than others when trying to compose themselves.

The thing that I’m trying to get across in my message here is that everyone needs a little breathing room. Sometimes people get frustrated and become a new person, and sometimes people crawl into a corner and don’t want to be bothered. That’s okay. But if you need that “moment,” take it. You’ll be on your way a whole lot faster if you do.