By teen blogger Sam Rosacrans

Summer is here, and hopefully all of of the stress and chaos from the school year has left your body already. If you’re not happy with the way your school year went, all you can do is try harder next year and reflect on everything that happened, good and bad. Nevertheless, the school year is only one aspect of life in which we should reflect. Reflection is an essential piece in all parts of life, especially for teens like myself, as we are still developing. By looking back at our actions, we can judge our own character and base our future actions off our past ones. It’s all a learning process. However, it’s also important to know when to stop analyzing your past actions. It’s crucial to recognize both in order to move forward successfully.

Reflection is a powerful tool that can help even the most collected and confident people. There always comes a time to take a step back and get a grasp of who you really are. In the busy and hectic lifestyles that many people live, it’s easy to get caught up with things and ignore a major part of life, our own wellbeing. By reflecting, not only can we discover ourselves, but we can then improve based off what we see. Last summer, I experienced my own journey of reflection. I finally had some free time on my hands, so I thought deeply and thoroughly about my own values and past actions, especially towards others. As I looked not just back, but at my then current self, I felt like something was missing. That empty part, I discovered, was meant to hold my enjoyment for lifting weights. The first thing that led me down this path, was that through reflecting, I realized that I wanted to be a stronger person, physically and mentally. Next, I set a goal for myself that summer: I was going to step into a weight room four times every week. Since then, I have only seen myself grow and continue to become something that I’m proud of. I’ve had bumps along the way, but I see no end in sight. Of course I made many other improvements through my reflection, but my progress in the gym is one of the most significant ones. It not only gave me enjoyment seeing myself grow in a physical manner, but I also learned how to be disciplined and consistent if I want to accomplish something. One of the best things about what I achieved, is that anyone can have the same success.

Reflecting can do many things, but for me, it sparked an adventure of self improvement. Through that, I’m proud to say that I changed for the better. Some things I’ve already accomplished, such as taking a class that fit my passion and excelling in it. Other goals however, will take lots of hard-work, and dedication. You get one life in this universe, and you should spend it being who you want to be. Due to this, I’m always improving myself and encouraging others to do the same.

I also encountered something else during my reflection that’s worth noting. There’s no need to “beat yourself up” over things that weren’t accomplished before, or if you find that you were unsatisfied with the type of person you were/are being. Of course everyone makes mistakes in life, but we live a lifetime of opportunities. The past will always provide you with lessons for the future, and the future is always out there waiting for you to conquer it.

Sam Rosacrans- Senior at Naperville North High School