By Sherylynn Niezen – Email
When I was young I used to draw on my bedroom walls…with permanent markers. I created big beautiful designs that stood out and made my room more eye appealing as well as (in my opinion) an extension of who I was and what I was going through. Since I didn’t go out of my way to hide the re-decorated walls my mother eventually found out. She wasn’t overjoyed about my artistic outburst, but neither did she kick me out of the house. So you could say things went over pretty well; I didn’t get in trouble and I still had a place to live. Win-win. In fact, the wall designs are still there to this day, an entire year later. Indeed only one year ago I, as a twenty-three year old grown woman, wrote on my bedroom walls at my parent’s house.
Now you may wonder what inspired me to do such a thing and the answer is simple: I wasn’t strong enough to put a hole in the wall. Let’s get this clear from the start though: I’m not one prone to anger and I never have been. But when poor life choices, stressful deadlines, bad relationships and unfair situations suddenly take over your life it only takes one infuriating piece of information to throw you over the edge. I received that piece of information late one night and, as I learned on TV, when you’re angry you should punch something. Call me a sissy but there was no way I could endure the pain of punching a wall so I was unsure of how to deal with my anger, and I needed to focus on the paper I had to write.
Fortunately, I’m level headed enough to know that an ugly emotion like anger can’t last forever and eventually you have to deal with any destruction caused by it. Then it dawned on me that if I wasn’t strong (or brave) enough to destroy my immediate surroundings and have them show how I felt inside, what might happen if I made my surroundings reveal how I wanted to feel? Essentially, I turned an ‘ugly’ emotion into something beautiful as I started to draw on the wall. And wouldn’t you know it, by the time I was finished my fabulous new masterpiece I felt freed from my anger and could go back to my paper writing.
One of the greatest ways I’ve learned to get myself out of a stressed environment or mindset (in all my twenty four years of life) is to react the opposite way to what seems natural. Naturally, I want to shush anyone talking about weekend plans in the library, order for indecisive people in the Tim Horton’s lineup, and/or glare at anyone that has spare time to watch TV shows, etc. Choosing a positive route is clearly not always a natural or easy decision.
What I am trying to say through all of this is that if you are feeling down then bringing your surroundings or peers down with you will not boost you up. In my opinion, one of the greatest pick-me-ups you can give yourself in a stressful time is helping another or turning something ‘ugly’ into something beautiful. Having a bad day? Why not give a quick compliment to the person sitting beside you. Having a stressed day? Why not phone up another student and encourage them for their upcoming exam. Want to punch a wall? Why not make a paper airplane. (Free tip: I don’t suggest writing on walls for those living on campus, or at their parent’s house for that matter). Saying or doing positive things for others does incredible things for your outlook on life, especially when you don’t feel like you have the time to do so or you don’t feel like being nice. I encourage you to give it a try!
I’ll get the ball rolling: I appreciate you for the time you took to read this today. Thanks!
