Learning To Be a Champion

There was a time period where I didn't have confidence in myself. I often felt insecure because I wasn't as smart as some other people, had to put more work into studying for tests at school and was nowhere near the top. I also wasn't a superb athlete and didn't felt like I fit in.

I was a teenager in high school when I felt this way and often wondered at the time if I was ever going to fit in. I was so focused on what other people had and lost sight of the things I did have at the time. Needless to say, it was a very difficult point in my life.

My attitude and feelings changed when I went away to Otterbein College (now University). Moving away for college was a huge step in my life and it taught me how to move on and start over. I was able to put away the frustrations I had in previous years and being a new chapter.

Not too long after I started this chapter, I found that I could make my own success by working hard. I started off only knowing two other people on campus and eventually built a friendship base within the first couple weeks of starting college. This fresh start made me a different and new person and I found myself happier than in the previous years before.

This new found happiness became more apparent when people on campus noticed I had an ebullient attitude and personality. My personality may have been overwhelming at the time to some but I remember feeling that I was much happier in life and didn't want to let that go.

In my classes and extra-curricular activities, I found I could make a difference with a positive attitude and hard work. Yes, there were still people who were smarter than me but I could still make an impact with hard work and dedication. I realized I could become a champion by being who I was and working hard.

When my college years ended, making the transition from college student to worker professional was hard but I found some consistency in what I learned in college. I found that having a positive attitude and working hard can still take you places. Who I was in high school mattered less and it was more about who I was now and how I could make an impact.