The average college student is no stranger to existential crises. I am one of them, but I learned to hack the cycle. Whether these crises happen daily or on an annual basis (no judgement), they’re likely happening because you’re questioning the foundations your life is built upon.
In college, it’s pretty easy to direct these foundations. You have a lot of autonomy in this stage of life, and it’s a critical time to recognize that you have this power. It’s a scary prospect for a lot of people, though, and I was one of those scared people.
I only have two more semesters left in college, and I’m more at ease with my foundations than ever. Allow me to tell you how I got there, because it’s my ultimate college hack. Do one thing every single day that makes you uncomfortable, it will change your life.
Explore
When I say I do one thing every single day that makes me uncomfortable, I don’t mean it in a painful sense. I’ve learned to follow how I feel, so listening to my body and mind keeps me safe. Uncomfortable means I do something that requires I explore a different space while being mindful and trusting in my own abilities and senses.
Exploring an unknown, uncomfortable space brings about new opportunities. You learn what suits you and what doesn’t, and it’s done within the framework of trusting you can fall back on your abilities and senses. These uncomfortable situations make you stronger, wiser, and more trusting.
Continue to find uncomfortable spaces
Keeping this up every single day probably sounds daunting. Once I saw positive change happening in my life, it clicked that there was a direct correlation between my new exploration and my decreased anxieties and fears. Life at college wasn’t getting easier, I was getting stronger and better at approaching life with ease and openness.
Try this sooner
It took me adopting this habit to figure out my foundations. Now that I’ve reached this place, I’m never on the verge of a panic attack. I also know that it’s okay for these foundations to change, which is crucial, because college is a place where uncertainty reigns supreme.
Having your s**t figured out doesn’t make you any better of a person than someone who doesn’t. As long as you’re in a place where you can go about life with ease, that’s all you need. Doing one uncomfortable thing every day got me on the road to figuring it all out.
College is probably the most opportune time to improve some aspect of our lives or even reinvent ourselves. Things are not concrete, though it’s easy to idealize that they should be. If you get in the habit of exploring your abilities and foundations now, I can guarantee you’ll be able to confront life with more ease.