Written by Cassie, 2021 Cohort
I still remember when I was in primary school. If I didn’t study in the evening, I would feel guilty. The reason was that I was constantly compared with other kids by parents and teachers. By doing that, they gave me enormous insecurity and pressure. But think about it: I was just a child. I already went to school during the morning and afternoon. And in the evening, I couldn’t even play without feeling guilty. Besides, I was constantly pushed to be excellent. Parents and teachers said only the students with the best academic performance were deserving of praise. However, I was rarely encouraged to see mistakes as part of the learning process.
Growing up, I always felt guilty if I am not pushing myself enough or not working hard enough. I sometimes criticized myself too strongly for mistakes. Therefore, I gradually became too scared to try anything new. And now in pre-MDM, I realize that life is not always a competition. It’s about being a better self. Because someone else is doing better, it doesn’t mean I am doing worse.
We don’t need to push ourselves too much since everything works in balance. The stress will push back later. My friends, please be kind, be cool, be you!