Half Full, Half Empty
Emotions are a major part of our well-being, dictating how we perceive and understand the world. Experiencing the full range of emotions can lead to this interplay between this feeling of extreme joy and the inner depths of sorrow. These feelings within us make it hard to evaluate the true nature of our being, whether we lean towards one or the other, making us fear which version of ourselves we face each morning. As one starts their day, they begin with waking up and stretching their bones. Walking up to the mirror and sensing whether the sentiments of the previous day have continued to fester. This is the consistent sense that comes up when one deals with accepting being stuck in the turmoil of self-identity, coping with fighting between these past behaviors that served us for a time but left us feeling heavy and unequipped to emotionally regulate ourselves to be the version that we know is more optimal but proves to require change in our present behaviors.
When you become used to having a certain outlook on life, it can be difficult to snap back into a more positive view. You get trapped in this negative feedback loop, and viewing life in another way can feel impossible. You almost get used to this pessimistic perspective. It becomes your comfort to not look for more or not to believe that you can expect higher of yourself. The fear of disappointment begins to weigh so heavily that you drown out all possibilities by negating the hopeful outcomes; making them feel out of reach and impossible. When we cancel out the prospect of living a more elevated quality of life, we accept the notion that the life we currently have, no matter how unhappy, is “enough.” Instead of pouring in this time to be one with the self to improve our standard of living, we repeat the same cycles that got us right where we are, looking at ourselves in the mirror in a crisis between who we are and who we wish to become. This inherent shame sets most people back to this mentality of guilt, looking at the glass on the table as half empty; not seeing a way through their current circumstances. When you accept the position you are in life rather than constantly fighting yourself, you find that this pessimistic self-shame begins to shift towards a separate outcome — One of accepting the circumstance you've curated and understanding that it no longer serves your purpose; it's not helpful to perceive yourself in a self-critical way.
Like water, these weighing thoughts that felt so permanent begin rescinding into a new wave. It’s a sense of having this rebirth of thoughts just as the wave crashes and comes again cyclically, and our emotions carry this same fluid motion. Reframing the mind to take in every moment at a higher frequency, one that isn’t shaped by these shackles of doubt or fear. By looking at one's reflection in the mirror and speaking in a manner that is uplifting rather than full of contempt for the actions we take. All these disapproving thoughts dissipate as you move from the mirror to the shower. You step out of the shower with a sense of mental clarity as the water drips from you, and so do these weighing thoughts, one by one, sliding off the physical body until you are anew. Even amongst the internal chaos of constant thought and worry of what will come to fruition shortly, we can still hold space to see every day through a lens of curiosity. Paying attention to every aspect that can make life enjoyable is unique in a way that we can fail to notice if we are stuck in our thought spirals.
Our internal selves constantly shift like the reflection we see of ourselves daily. There is this inherent questioning of how we become bound to a specific area of thought. We are in this ebb and flow, which allows us to cherish the cycles of joy and try and hold onto these perspectives of living. Just as the waves are constantly reborn, we can be reshaped to embrace growth over stagnation. We should take the reflection we see every day and instead pay attention to the light bouncing off the mirror to shift to seeing the cup of coffee on the table as half-full.
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Strike Out,
Digital Director: Kate D’Amario
Assisted by: Jordan McAvin, Katie Perdomo
Digital Staffers: Sophia Kelbert, Isabella Aalto, Olivia Izquierdo, Lauren Lee
Models: Kara Jones, Riley Teagan
Styling: Dalton Lain, Kat Davis, Eve Villanustre, Sasha Viouchkov, Taylor Farscht
Photography: Matthew Stemberg, Sam Valenti
Videography: Elli Aristegui
Writing: Emily Montarroyos / Editor: Lindsey Limbach
Location: The Renegade Tallahassee