Personal Narrative Analysis

From homeschool on a farm to the diverse public high school hallways – talk about a culture shock! After that first day of school, every glance in the mirror told me a dozen things about myself that had never crossed my mind before. I did not fit in. Fear and insecurity developed into a confidence-deficient mindset that lasted through the majority of my junior year. During this time, I lacked faith in my abilities both academically and athletically because I failed to see myself for who I am rather than who I am not. Over time, I realized that it is counterproductive to compare myself to others; I must strive to be the best I can be, not the best that others can be. I like to think of this realization as one of the most momentous turning points in my life thus far, a transition from childhood to adulthood. …show more content…
Due to a tough loss at the wrestling state championships that year and due to vision issues that were limiting my ability to keep up with my classmates in school, I became frustrated with myself and deeply depressed. Fortunately, I was surrounded with wise parents and supportive coaches who helped me discover that many of these problems were caused by a warped self-view. I was obsessing with what others were capable of doing, which was keeping me from seeing my own strengths and from performing to the best of my abilities. I have since learned how to combat this thought process by working to better myself in all areas instead of working to achieve an arbitrary goal set by someone