There was never a specific day that I realized a change in my lifestyle for the better, but slowly I began to pick up habits that improved my mental health. From picking up calming hobbies that weren't overwhelming to cleaning out my social media of anything that would be toxic to my mindset. I went from having a hard time brushing my teeth to becoming the founder of my own online clothing business. When I notice changes within myself that are similar to those of my bad days, I quickly find ways to separate myself from what initiated it and add positive influences. I have identified that talking things out with people does not benefit me at the moment. However, being alone is even worse. I need someone to be with me to remind me that I'm not alone but that won't pressure me to talk about it while I'm still processing. Some people, prefer to be alone and deal with it on their own. For others, they solve their problems by being constantly distracted. It depends on the person. The key is understanding what type your mind needs in these situations and learning to communicate that with the people close to you. Kids and teenagers around the world lack people that they can talk to and someone to help them think through everything that's going through their heads. The world is growing at such a rapid pace, it can be too much for some people. Keeping up with social media, relationships, jobs, bills, drama, death, trauma, hate, division, and so many more things can take over one's mind. Mental health is one of the most prominent struggles in our society and needs to be brought into the light.

Happiness can be found in many forms. It can be found in people, places, items, states of mind, animals, or in many other ways. It can last for a few hours or it could be something that lasts for years. I have found my happiness in my best friend. Every time I see him I can't help but burst into a smile. Most of my happy memory or moment involves him. My best friend is the one who I can go to with every problem, knowing that he'll comfort and support me. He's there to celebrate every victory and success with me. He has shown me how to truly love myself through his kind words and actions. I never feel happier than when I'm with him. Our times together are always filled with laughter and jokes, but sometimes it's just a peaceful silence of enjoying each other presence. My happiness comes not in a package, but in a person.

I value people. I value their feelings. I value the relationships I have with people. Because of this, I have learned that patience is necessary. Being patient with someone is just another way of saying "hey I love you." In friendships and relationships, patience is what solves arguments and brings people together. Without it, we would all be nitpicking and going off on each other. Patience is giving room for other people to make mistakes. It's knowing that sometimes we have to slow down and understand what someone's going through before we respond. Many people have shown me the definition of patience and I'm so grateful for them. When my mental health was spiraling downwards and I had a difficult time getting anything done, my family and boyfriend had patience with me. When I wouldn't communicate with them and push them away, they still loved me and didn't get angry with me. This was true patience. It was what I needed at the moment, and because of them, I was able to heal and grow out of that experience. When someone shows me kindness and patience, I want to be able to do the same for someone else, and it becomes a domino effect. Patience is the key to happier people, happier relationships, and an altogether happier world.

Giving is important to me because it's my way of showing my love. My top love language is gift giving so it is a key part of my life. Sometimes I have a difficult time expressing my love for my friendships and relationships, but I find it easy to find the perfect gift for a person. Some love languages are easier for me than others. But gift-giving is number one. I love bringing flowers to my mom or dropping off some of my friend's favorite foods at their house. Giving isn't only limited to physical objects. People can also give their time or energy. Sometimes those can be more valuable than physical gifts themselves. Giving is one of the greatest forms of love. Especially when someone gives without expecting a gift in return. From small gifts to big gifts, I just want to bring smiles to the people I love.

The mental health of myself as well as the mental health of the people around me has always been a priority. Within the past couple of months I have found a way to cope and heal with the way my mind processes life. I've been through times of my life when there have just been months of numbness and lack of feeling when I didn't have the energy or motivation to get out of bed. Small tasks like eating breakfast or communicating with my friends were exhausting. Day after day of not knowing how to fix me or not knowing how I would survive was scary. Dealing with this was horrible at the moment, but it was the biggest growth experience of my life. I learned more about my coping habits, my insecurities, my flaws, my people that I leaned on, and other qualities about myself that I didn't know I possessed. There was never a specific day that I realized a change in my lifestyle for the better, but slowly I began to pick up habits that improved my mental health. From picking up calming hobbies that weren't overwhelming to cleaning out my social media of anything that would be toxic to my mindset. I went from having a hard time brushing my teeth to becoming the founder of my own online clothing business. When I notice changes within myself that are similar to those of my bad days, I quickly find ways to separate myself from what initiated it and add positive influences. I have identified that talking things out with people does not benefit me at the moment. However, being alone is even worse. I need someone to be with me to remind me that I'm not alone but that won't pressure me to talk about it while I'm still processing. The person that usually is my person for this is my boyfriend. He's the most patient person I know. He constantly reminds me that I am not figuring this out by myself and he doesn't force me to try to put into words what's going through my head. This is the type of person that I need. Some people, they prefer to be alone and deal with it on their own. For others, they solve their problems by being constantly distracted. It just depends on the person. The key is understanding what type your mind needs in these situations and learning to communicate that with the people close to you. Kids and teenagers around the world lack people that they can talk to and someone to help them think through everything that's going through their heads. The world is growing at such a rapid pace, it can be too much for some people. Keeping up with social media, relationships, jobs, bills, drama, death, trauma, hate, division, and so many more things can take over one's mind. Mental health is one of the most prominent struggles in our society and needs to be brought into the light.

My dog, Samson, takes a nap when he wakes up, after he has breakfast nap, an "after-peeing" nap, before lunch nap, after lunch nap, mid-afternoon nap, "pre-bark at the neighbors" nap, after supper nap, and a pre-bed nap. When he isn't sleeping, he's bursting with energy. Samson is a rescue mix of Yorkshire terrier, shytzu, and poodle. He lives on two extremes: dead asleep or galloping around the house with his tongue hanging out. These photos offer a glimpse into his happy little life.

My name is Chloe Middleton and I'm a senior in high school. I love people and being with people constantly so I've decided that I will be getting my degree in business management. I hope to start my own business so that I can be around people and make connections with my patrons 24/7. My goal in life is to make a big difference through small actions. I want to spread love and positivity in all ways. By starting a business of my own, it'd give me opportunities to meet people and share this optimism.

This past Christmas, I founded a project called "Santa's Sleigh." We went to the local stores and purchased items to make Christmas boxes for the homeless. We filled plastic boxes with food, water bottles, and hygiene items and then wrapped the boxes in Christmas paper to make them more personalized. We added little notes of encouragement for each box. The boxes were then loaded into a wagon and rolled around downtown. This work was made worth it when we saw the smiling faces of the homeless people. They were overjoyed to be able to have a Christmas present. Another act of service that I participated in was being a kids counselor at Winshape camps. Every summer, for an entire week, I get to be a childrens counselor for about fifteen kids. This week is super fun but exhausting at the same time. I enjoy making relationships with all these kids. Some of the kids come from rough backgrounds and don't always get to experience having someone loving them. This week gives them the chance to be shown love and to have a fun time as well.

My name is Chloe Middleton and I live in Charleston, South Carolina. Some of my hobbies include surfing, thrifting, growing my plants, and going to farmers markets. I am going to be attending Charleston Southern University in the fall. I hope to be getting a degree in business marketing and a minor in biblical counseling. I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, starting businesses since I was in third grade. I have a small clothing business that I established in 2020 and I hope that by furthering my education, I will be able to grow my business greatly. I finished all of my highschool credits in my junior year but still wanted to graduate with my class. I have been taking dual-enrollment classes so that I can graduate college a year early. My goal in life is to be the CEO of my own company, whether a physical business or online. I want to be able to establish a business that empowers my employees to continue to grow. An ever-evolving company that not only grows through expansion but by employee growth as well. My business will be one that connects with it's customers and leaves a positive impact. I am very much a people-person, so my goal isn't to be personally financially successful, though I do want the company itself to be financially successful, my goal is to make genuine relationships with my customers in a way that isn't common in this generation. My business will be revovled around the success of the customer, and not the success of the company.

I live a life of simple rhythms. I like routines and organization. It only takes something small to make me happy. Every morning I wake up and snuggle with my puppy, one of my favorite parts of my morning. I water my houseplants and open the blinds so that my room is glowing and happy. My room is my haven and one of the most calming places I can be. I then go to work; I nanny for a little girl. She's the joy of my life. If I could describe the top "simple pleasure" in my life, it would be her. I spend my days blowing bubbles with her and swinging on swings. She's the happiest kid I know and I'm so glad I get to nanny her. Another pleasure in my life is a beach sunset. I live on an island so I get to enjoy the beautiful beach sunsets. Many people can take them for granted or get bored of them after a little while, but sunsets will never fail to mesmerize me. Life itself will always capture my attention. Observing and admiring the simple moments in one's life is the key to truly enjoying it.

Giving is important to me because it's my way of showing my love. My top love language is gift giving so it is a key part of my life. Sometimes I have a difficult time expressing my love for my friendships and relationships, but I find it easy to find the perfect gift for a person. Some love languages are easier for me than others. But gift-giving is number one. I love bringing flowers to my mom or dropping off some of my friend's favorite foods at their house. Giving isn't only limited to physical objects. People can also give their time or energy. Sometimes those can be more valuable than physical gifts themselves. Giving is one of the greatest forms of love. Especially when someone gives without expecting a gift in return. From small gifts to big gifts, I just want to bring smiles to the people I love.

Photography has always been a passion of mine. Specifically photographing nature. I enjoy connecting with nature in a way that isn't damaging or changing to it. Photography doesn't affect the rhythms of nature. It preserves the simplicity and makes it accessible to see for years to come. Photography gives an avenue to see the details of nature. Human eyes simply cannot capture the minuscule features. I hope one day to start a program that connects people with disabilities to nature through photography. Whether that's starting a photography program to teach them how to use a camera or connecting them with processed photos. Photographing nature is a calming method and has deeper feelings than one thinks. People sometimes undermine the capabilities of people with disabilities. I find them to be brilliant and very sweet. I want to start a program that builds a bridge for them to observe nature through photography. I enjoy this passion and want to be able to share that with others.

One of the most inspiring pieces of art I have seen is "Plexus" by Gabriel Dawe. He created this masterpiece by stretching thousands of threads across a room. When the light hits these thin threads, it creates the illusion of a rainbow. This is a mesmerizing effect that puts viewers in awe. It's inspiring to me because the art is not created to be so beautiful by one object alone. It didn't take one thread, it took thousands. Without the addition of each and every thread, the art wouldn't have looked the same. In a similar way, it doesn't just take one person to make a difference in the world, but thousands. Each person plays a part in making this world a better place. It can be overwhelming sometimes to think about how many problems this world needs to be fixed. But looking at Gabriel Dawes' "Plexus" can be a reminder that it takes many to fulfill something great. Just as the threads worked together and each had their own role in the art, people can work together and use their strengths. The threads were different, some were yellow while some were blue, yet they all worked towards the same goal. People are all different, but they each have different talents and abilities to make this world a better place.

The mental health of myself as well as the mental health of the people around me has always been a priority. Within the past couple of months I have found a way to cope and heal with the way my mind processes life. I've been through times of my life when there have just been months of numbness and lack of feeling when I didn't have the energy or motivation to get out of bed. Small tasks like eating breakfast or communicating with my friends were exhausting. Day after day of not knowing how to fix me or not knowing how I would survive was scary. Dealing with this was horrible at the moment, but it was the biggest growth experience of my life. I learned more about my coping habits, my insecurities, my flaws, the people that I leaned on, and other qualities about myself that I didn't know I possessed. There was never a specific day that I realized a change in my lifestyle for the better, but slowly I began to pick up habits that improved my mental health. From picking up calming hobbies that weren't overwhelming to cleaning out my social media of anything that would be toxic to my mindset. I went from having a hard time brushing my teeth to becoming the founder of my own online clothing business. When I notice changes within myself that are similar to those of my bad days, I quickly find ways to separate myself from what initiated it and add positive influences. I have identified that talking things out with people does not benefit me at the moment. However, being alone is even worse. I need someone to be with me to remind me that I'm not alone but that won't pressure me to talk about while I'm still processing. The person that usually is my person for this is my boyfriend. He's the most patient person I know. He constantly reminds me that I am not figuring this out by myself and he doesn't force me to try to put into words what's going through my head. This is the type of person that I need. For some people, they prefer to be alone and deal with it on their own. For others, they solve their problems by being constantly distracted. It just depends on the person. The key is understanding what type your mind needs in these situations and learning to communicate that with the people close to you. Kids and teenagers around the world lack people that they can talk to and someone to help them think through everything that's going through their heads. The world is growing at such a rapid pace, it can be too much for some people. Keeping up with social media, relationships, jobs, bills, drama, death, trauma, hate, division, and so many more things can take over one's mind. Mental health is one of the most prominent struggles in our society and needs to be brought into the light.

Friendship means more than just knowing each other. Being a friend means that you'll have each other's backs. It means you'll stand up for each other and never let each other down. Being a friend to someone is a commitment. It may only be a temporary commitment, but sometimes friendships last a lifetime. Friendships are one of the key pieces to a person's life. People crave intimacy, attention, feelings, memories, love, affection, and many other things that revolve around friendships. It's difficult to make it through life alone. Having people to surround yourself with and to go through life together makes it easier. You can go through hard times together and learn from each other's mistakes. Friends are there to encourage you through the hard times, cry with you in the sad times, and rejoice with you in the triumphant times. Friends stick together through a variety of stages of life.

The art of leadership can be a confusing subject. Partially because of the variety of leaders there are that exist. There are leaders that are too commanding, leaders that need to be more commanding, leaders that prefer violence over communication, leaders that fail to protect, leaders that don’t think in the best interest of others, and many other types. People often mistake leadership as a role that is fulfilled through being above everyone else. They think that the only way to control people, is for the people to fear them. True leadership requires a love for the people that are being led. A leader should want the best for everyone, even if it means making personal sacrifices. Leadership requires humility among people, thoughtful decision making, and the ability to lead through example. Leaders tend to be more outgoing and uninhibited than followers. This can make it difficult to slow down and actually listen to what others have to say. Personally, it has taken me many errors to learn how beneficial it is to listen to people. I am more inclined to lead by my own opinion instead of others. However, I have learned that if I truly care for people then I will take the time to listen and make decisions based off of what is most advantageous to them. One example of this, is when I co-lead a children's group at a local camp; we had many activities planned for these kids but they were exhausted from the previous event. Instead of pushing them on to stick to the schedule, I asked them what they felt like doing, and let their responses influence what the decision would be. A good leader listens to the people they are leading. One of the most difficult parts of being a leader can be the responsibility of making decisions. After I had listened to what the camp kid’s felt like doing, I had to make the decision on what I thought was best for them based on what they told me. The role of a leader is to think in the best interest of others. Sometimes this means compromising, following out their wants, or even going against what people want because I believe that it’s better for them. The decisions that a leader makes should always be with the people in the forefront. Leading by example is the best way to gain the respect of people. A true leader will visibly stand out through actions and words. I try to maintain a positive attitude and open mindset as a leader. Because of this, I do not have to force people to give me their respect or loyalty. People tend to follow leaders that show the qualities they wish to have. At the camp I lead at, it was much easier to get the kids’s to behave when I modeled it among them. If I wanted them to dress their team colors, then I dresses the team colors. If I wanted them to sing the songs, then I sang the songs. A leader should not just command their followers to do things, they should lead by example before them. When being a leader, it’s necessary to listen to the people, make decisions based off of what they say, and then strive to lead by example through that decision. The ultimate goal of a leader is to love their people and express that love through choices and actions. Leaders cannot expect to be thoroughly good leaders if their intentions are not true to their people.

The mental health of myself as well as the mental health to the people around me has always been a priority. Within the past couple months I have found a way to cope and heal with the way my mind processes life. I've been through times of my life when there have just been months of numbness and lack of feeling, when I didn't have the energy or motivation to get out of bed. Small tasks like eating breakfast or communicating with my friends were exhausting. Day after day of not knowing how to fix myself or not knowing how I would survive was scary. Dealing with this was horrible in the moment, but it was the biggest growth experience of my life. I learned more about my coping habits, my insecurities, my flaws, my people that I leaned on, and other qualities about myself that I didn't know I possessed. There was never a specific day that I realized a change in my lifestyle for the better, but slowly I began to pick up habits that improved my mental health. From picking up calming hobbies that weren't overwhelming to cleaning out my social media of anything that would be toxic to my mindset. I went from having a hard time brushing my teeth to becoming the founder of my own online clothing business. When I notice changes within myself that are similar to those of my bad days, I quickly find ways to separate myself from what initiated it and add positive influences. I have identified that talking things out with people do not benefit me in the moment. However, being alone is even worse. I need someone to be with me to remind me that I'm not alone but that won't pressure me to talk about while I'm still processing. The person that usually is my person for this is my boyfriend. He's the most patient person I know. He constantly reminds me that I am not figuring this out by myself and he doesn't force me to try to put into words what's going through my head. This is the type of person that I need. For some people, they prefer to be alone and deal with it on their own. For others, they solve their problems by being constantly distracted. It just depends on the person. The key is understanding what type your mind needs in these situations and learning to communicate that with the people close to you. Kids and teenagers around the world lack people that they can talk to and someone to help them think through everything that's going through their heads. The world is growing at such a rapid pace, it can be too much for some people. Keeping up with social media, relationships, jobs, bills, drama, death, trauma, hate, division, and so many more things can take over one's mind. Mental health is one of the most prominent struggles in our society and needs to be brought into the light.

Happiness can be found in many forms. It can be found in people, places, items, states of mind, animals, or in many other ways. It can last for a few hours or it could be something that lasts for years. I have found my happiness in my best friend. Every time I see him I can't help but burst into a smile. Most of my happy memory or moment involves him. My best friend is the one who I can go to with every problem, knowing that he'll comfort and support me. He's also there to celebrate every victory and success with me. He has shown me how to truly love myself through his kind words and actions. I never feel more happy than when I'm with him. Our times together are always filled with laughter and jokes, but sometimes its just a peaceful silence of enjoying each other presence. My happiness comes not in a package, but in a person.

I value people. I value their feelings. I value the relationships I have with people. Because of this, I have learned that patience is necessary. Being patient with someone is just another way of saying "hey i love you." In friendships and relationships, patience is what solves arguments and brings people together. Without it, we would all be nitpicking and going off on each other. Patience is giving room for other people to make mistakes. It's knowing that sometimes we have to slow down and understand what someone's going through before we respond. Many people have shown me the definition of patience and I'm so grateful for them. When my mental health was spiraling downwards and I had a difficult time getting anything done, my family and boyfriend had patience with me. When I wouldn't communicate with them and pushed them away, they still loved me and didn't get angry with me. This was true patience. It was what I needed in the moment, and because of them I was able to heal and grow out of that experience. When someone shows me kindness and patience, I want to be able to the same for someone else, and it becomes a domino effect. Patience is the key to happier people, happier relationships, and an all-together happier world.

My name is Chloe Middleton and I live in Charleston, South Carolina. Some of my hobbies include surfing, thrifting, growing my plants, and going to farmers markets. I am going to be attending Charleston Southern University in the fall. I hope to be getting a degree in business marketing and a minor in biblical counseling. I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, starting businesses since I was in third grade. I have a small clothing business that I established in 2020 and I hope that by furthering my education, I will be able to grow my business greatly. I finished all of my highschool credits in my junior year but still wanted to graduate with my class. I have been taking dual-enrollment classes so that I can graduate college a year early. Because of this, most of my social group involves college age people. One of the expected aspects to college students, is to party and drink all weekend. Going to bars and parties and then drive themselves home is normal to them. Many college students don't understand the danger that they are putting themselves in, as well as all of the other people around them. They misjudge their driving abilities and many a times have to deal with the consequences, whether a car accident or worse. I am, and have always been, against drinking and driving. I knew a 16-year-old girl who was killed by a drunk driver, and I saw how it not only took her life, but took the happiness from her family. She had an amazing life ahead of her, yet it was taken away in moments by the carless decisions of a man. Her friends, boyfriend, and family, will always be impacted by the drunk driver's choice. Yes, people may enjoy drinking and getting drunk, however, many of them underestimate what it does to their mind. Many of my friends have made the wrong decision of drinking and yet still thinking they were capable of drinking safely. Though I cannot make decisions for them, I remind them over and over how dangerous it is. I am a firm advocate for designated drivers and I plan on being one for all my friends once I officially move to college. I would rather people just skip out on alcohol all together, but if people do choose to use it, they need to use it safely. Drunk drivers make reckless decisions and don't always value the lives of the people around them. They won't understand the consequences until they're drunk driving on a late Friday night with delayed reaction time and then suddenly hit a car, possibly killing themselves or the people in the other vehicle. One night of fun drinking isn't worth the lives of people.

One memory that has molded who I am today, was the day I bought my first plant. It was slightly wilted and yellow. By the next day, I deemed it dead. It had suddenly turned brown and flat. However, though it seemed completely dead, I still gave it love, watering it and putting it in the sunlight. After a couple weeks, it had miraculously arisen from the dead. Though this seems like a small feat, this memory happened during one of the hardest times in my life. I was dealing with depression and was having a difficult time seeing the point of life. I had given up on myself and lost all connection with my feelings. Days seemed very dark and lonely. There seemed no point in putting energy to myself. When I was taking care of this dead plant, I put more effort into taking care of it than I even took care of myself. When I saw how this plant went from a decomposing brown twig to a budding green plant, I saw that it was possible to start anew. Even though it was dead, because of the love, care, and time that was put into it, it found a way to bloom. It sounds simple, but watching this transformation gave me a new perspective of myself that I needed. I gave myself a second chance to bloom again. I spent time watering myself and putting myself in the sun. The effort was healing and I began to see hope in my life. I wouldn't say my life is in debt to a plant, but it definitely provided a learning experience that changed my future. Even though life seemed to be ending, I learned that it can regrow and bloom into something even better than before.

The mental health of myself as well as the mental health to the people around me has always been a priority. Within the past couple months I have found a way to cope and heal with the way my mind processes life. I've been through times of my life when there have just been months of numbness and lack of feeling, when I didn't have the energy or motivation to get out of bed. Small tasks like eating breakfast or communicating with my friends were exhausting. Day after day of not knowing how to fix myself or not knowing how I would survive was scary. Dealing with this was horrible in the moment, but it was the biggest growth experience of my life. I learned more about my coping habits, my insecurities, my flaws, my people that I leaned on, and other qualities about myself that I didn't know I possessed. There was never a specific day that I realized a change in my lifestyle for the better, but slowly I began to pick up habits that improved my mental health. From picking up calming hobbies that weren't overwhelming to cleaning out my social media of anything that would be toxic to my mindset. I went from having a hard time brushing my teeth to becoming the founder of my own online clothing business. When I notice changes within myself that are similar to those of my bad days, I quickly find ways to separate myself from what initiated it and add positive influences. I have identified that talking things out with people do not benefit me in the moment. However, being alone is even worse. I need someone to be with me to remind me that I'm not alone but that won't pressure me to talk about while I'm still processing. The person that usually is my person for this is my boyfriend. He's the most patient person I know. He constantly reminds me that I am not figuring this out by myself and he doesn't force me to try to put into words what's going through my head. This is the type of person that I need. For some people, they prefer to be alone and deal with it on their own. For others, they solve their problems by being constantly distracted. It just depends on the person. The key is understanding what type your mind needs in these situations and learning to communicate that with the people close to you. Through these experiences, I discovered what career I wanted to pursue in life: psychology. Specifically, adolescent counseling. Kids and teenagers around the world lack people that they can talk to and someone to help them think through everything that's going through their heads. The world is growing at such a rapid pace, it can be too much for some people. Keeping up with social media, relationships, jobs, bills, drama, death, trauma, hate, division, and so many more things can take over one's mind. I don't have the perfect answer for every problem, but studying psychology in school will prepare me with ways to help people in many more ways that they can help themselves. Mental health is one of the most prominent struggles in our society and needs to be brought into the light.

I have always felt the need for my future career to revolve around people and benefitting people. To live a life without helping others would be pointless to me. I examined the subjects that I excelled in, specifically English and World Views, and combined that with my love of people. This resulted in my decision to pursue adolescent counseling through psychology. It's a career that not only fulfills my academic pursuits, but my life goals as well. In everything that I do, whether it's rock climbing, volunteering, or just running errands, I want to connect with people. Through rock climbing, I'm able to find people who have similar interest to me, rock climbing, but are in completely different stages in life. Most of the people I spend my time with vary in ages from five year olds to fifty year olds. Rock climbing is a sport that is not necessarily based around physical appearance but on technique and thinking. Being around the crags bring a sense of peace to climbers. The conversations are merely about what we're doing in the moment. Rock climbing bring a sense of connection with people that I would not have normally been able to make. Surrounding myself with people, whether it's encouraging to me or for me to encourage them is physically motivating for me. Being with people is a core reason that I wake up every morning. Throughout my job of nannying, I am constantly having conversations with kids that are typically educational and stimulating for them but usually thought provoking for me as well. They ask questions that most of my peers wouldn't be curious enough to ask. My love for being with people is not retained to a single generation. It has expanded more recently to reach almost all age ranges. Spending time to communicate and help mentally develop these kids is more rewarding than any job I could replace it with. Throughout my day, I am constantly on the move. It may be running to walmart or picking kids up from school, there are always opportunities to start a conversation with someone. Though it may not be the same type of conversations that I would have with people that I know closer, there are always the chance that simple conversations could make a difference with people. To put it simply, my career goal is to have a career that benefits people, my hobbies are surrounded with people, and my passions are to love people. One could say that I'm a people person. Life without loving people would be without purpose.

Many people believe the purpose of living is to live for themselves. They feel that their own personal life is the only thing they can affect. That they cannot influence any person around them greatly enough that it matters. This mindset can seriously influence the anatomy of our society. In order to benefit the world around us, the attitude towards small acts of kindness needs to be changed. Big changes start with small steps. In the same way, transforming people's lives for the better begins with taking the initiative to make minor differences in life. Making a change in the world and living for oneself cannot combine. To influence society, one must initiate different physical, verbal, and mental actions. Initiating a difference in the world can start with physical changes. Such as waving to people a little more, leaving small notes of encouragement, or even simply smiling at people as you pass them. Tiny acts can make big differences. Seeing these happy movements can make someone's day better, even by a small measure. This can then inspire them to smile more, or give more hugs, or wave good day to people. This chain reaction is what creates a happier atmosphere around us. It's a mutual reaction of people making life more enjoyable for those around them. Without demonstrating these, it makes it difficult for people to encourage others within seconds. Creating situations with a simple movement is a step in changing the world. People are motivated and encouraged most directly from verbal communication. Words hold extreme power and can greatly change people's lives. The way one carries a conversation, whether simple or intimate, can leave a mark. If someone truly wants to strengthen the world, they must begin with a conversation. They start with words. Words that carry opinions, information, criticism, encouragement, love, hate, and so many other forms. People have freedom of speech, they have the choice to speak their minds. However, the choice to use this freedom for the good of others is theirs. Words can be used to help others in ways that physical actions cannot. The base to both of these methods, physical and verbal actions, are mental perspectives. In order to start the change through other actions, a person must start inside their head. A person doesn't have to have perfect mental health to create a small difference. They don't have to be free of depression or be completely happy to have an effect on people. Changing the world begins within one's self but doesn't stop there. Making others happier not only benefits them, but benefits the giver as well. The world underestimates the great power of small actions. They expect immediate changes without putting any effort into the cause. In order to change the world for the better, it has to be a group attempt. A collaboration of people coming together, each one fulfilling small tasks that add up to a large movement. These small tasks are not required to be anything special, simple moments, intertwined within life that leave an impact on everyone around.

Living a life without worrying about the future, without stressing over the moment, or without being depressed about how your life is right now, can be difficult. I struggle with this problem on the daily. Opening my mind to new ideas and creating a content lifestyle takes a strong movement within myself. To begin an ever-evolving life, I need to start with the center of it: my mind. Changing my mindset and thought process is the first step to originating this life. Many things have motivated me to take control and steer my life to what I want it to be. But one of the strongest influences in my decisions have been through written words. Books, quotes, speeches, they introduce thoughts that I didn't have before I began reading. One quote in particular is written by A.S.B. "Fall in love. Maybe it doesn't have to be with someone. Fall in love with music, art, dancing in the dark, car rides at 1am, the glistening of the stars, the color of the sun as it rises, the smell of flowers, the feeling of adrenaline that takes over your whole body and suffocates your lungs with joy, good friends who bring out your best, silence, noise, fall in love with the little things that make you feel most alive and find purpose. Fall in love with life." This author brings out the beauty in truly just living life. Life can be hard, but taking the time to find the positive aspects of it are worth it. Centering my mind around the fact that life is full of happy moments and I need to choose to embrace them. Creating your own mindset is key to creating your life.

The art of leadership can be a confusing subject. Partially because of the variety of leaders there are that exist. There are leaders that are too commanding, leaders that need to be more commanding, leaders that prefer violence over communication, leaders that fail to protect, leaders that don’t think in the best interest of others, and many other types. People often mistake leadership as a role that is fulfilled through being above everyone else. They think that the only way to control people, is for the people to fear them. True leadership requires a love for the people that are being led. A leader should want the best for everyone, even if it means making personal sacrifices. Leadership requires humility among people, thoughtful decision making, and the ability to lead through example. Leaders tend to be more outgoing and uninhibited than followers. This can make it difficult to slow down and actually listen to what others have to say. Personally, it has taken me many errors to learn how beneficial it is to listen to people. I am more inclined to lead by my own opinion instead of others. However, I have learned that if I truly care for people then I will take the time to listen and make decisions based off of what is most advantageous to them. One example of this, is when I co-lead a children's group at a local camp; we had many activities planned for these kids but they were exhausted from the previous event. Instead of pushing them on to stick to the schedule, I asked them what they felt like doing, and let their responses influence what the decision would be. A good leader listens to the people they are leading. One of the most difficult parts of being a leader can be the responsibility of making decisions. After I had listened to what the camp kid’s felt like doing, I had to make the decision on what I thought was best for them based on what they told me. The role of a leader is to think in the best interest of others. Sometimes this means compromising, following out their wants, or even going against what people want because I believe that it’s better for them. The decisions that a leader makes should always be with the people in the forefront. Leading by example is the best way to gain the respect of people. A true leader will visibly stand out through actions and words. I try to maintain a positive attitude and open mindset as a leader. Because of this, I do not have to force people to give me their respect or loyalty. People tend to follow leaders that show the qualities they wish to have. At the camp I lead at, it was much easier to get the kids’s to behave when I modeled it among them. If I wanted them to dress their team colors, then I dresses the team colors. If I wanted them to sing the songs, then I sang the songs. A leader should not just command their followers to do things, they should lead by example before them. When being a leader, it’s necessary to listen to the people, make decisions based off of what they say, and then strive to lead by example through that decision. The ultimate goal of a leader is to love their people and express that love through choices and actions. Leaders cannot expect to be thoroughly good leaders if their intentions are not true to their people.

A struggle I dealt with for a while, as many teenagers do, was trying to decide what career I wanted to pursue in the future. I studied myself and realized that it had been staring me in the face all along. I love people and I love helping people, so what better a career than one with people? I didn't want a career that would fill my bank account or have me sitting at a desk for the rest of my life. I want to be working with people, loving them, and benefitting them to become better within themselves. Audrey Hepburn once said, "Nothing is more important than empathy for another human being's suffering. Nothing. Not a career, not wealth, not intelligence, certainly not status. We have to feel for one another if we are going to survive with dignity." I strive to live by her words. Caring and loving people is what motivates me through my day. It also is what inspired me to pursue psychology as my career. Hepburn's quote made me wonder "What is the purpose of life but to love people?" If I have the chance to fulfill that purpose in every aspect of my life, I want to do so. To love people is the greatest feat one can accomplish in life. People get distracted with many things such as the ones that Hepburn mentioned, careers, wealth, intelligence, or status, but those things lack the fulfillment that love brings. Empathy not only gives a purpose to the giver but also the receiver. When my dreams and goals are accomplished through becoming a licensed adolescent therapist, I hope to be able to show love and empathy to people through my job as well as enables them to be able to love others around them.