In middle school, my math teacher used to tell us before a test, “Remember; A test does not define you and will never define you.”

To this day, I have never forgotten that. In a society that makes you think your grades and your friends are what define your success and happiness in life, it’s hard to remember that we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on these things. Our happiness comes first, and everything else should follow. If you are truly happy, then you shouldn’t let anything disrupt your self-worth. I was always told to follow the 5 by 5 rule: If it’s not gonna matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it. Whether it’s mean words, criticism, some drama, or a bad grade on your test, if it doesn’t impact you significantly enough, you shouldn’t let it disrupt you. YOU are what you are made of. No one can be perfect. No one is perfect. We’re all going to have flaws and little imperfections that we can control, and sometimes we can’t control them. You are the only person who can let words, grades, test scores, and friends affect you. If you don’t let a bad grade define you, you can’t be defined by that one grade. If you are so stuck-up on one small thing, there’s a high chance, you’ll miss out on countless more opportunities and things that make you happy.

As human beings, sometimes it can be hard to remember that one thing does not define us. Here are a few ways to help!

• Try looking at the bigger picture. How important will this bump in the road really be in a few years? If the answer is, “not very,” then let it go!
• Actively work on remembering that you are not just worth one thing. Knowing all of your assets and capabilities can help you cope much better if something goes wrong!
• Dedicate time to yourself. The more time you spend with yourself in peace, the more you’ll learn about yourself. Truly knowing yourself can be a huge confidence booster and will help you know that you are worth so much!
• Try to focus your energy on a variety of things; if one thing takes up your whole life (whether it be friends, grades, drama, etc), it can be harder to distance yourself from it and deal with things when they go wrong. Give yourself a variety of things to put your attention towards!

You got this! Please remember that one thing does not, and will never define you. You are worth so much; never forget that! Everyone experiences bumps in the road from time to time. You can rise above them, though, and continue to live a life of positivity and happiness :).

Some quotes to remind you about your worth!

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone to tell you who you are.”

~Beyoncé Knowles

“People are going to try to define you. Let them. In the end, their definition doesn’t really matter – it’s how you define yourself that does.”

~Unknown

“My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me.”

~Dr. Steve Maraboli

“Don’t let others define you. You define yourself.”

~Ginni Rometty

Team O.S.C.I.E

Optimism

Strength

Confidence

Independence

Empathy

We are a group of students who deeply want to help young teenagers find a safe place in their minds. Our goal is to eliminate negative stigmas towards mental health and make it a topic that is thoroughly addressed and becomes normalized for everyone.