College Essay On Overcoming Obstacles

Everyone struggles. Most often, hardships are buried beneath the surface. We have a tendency to act like we have everything under control, when in reality, we don’t. Mental illness can be hard to overcome, but those who are affected can be pros at pretending to be okay. Not all hardships are that dark - common issues like a recent break-up are hard to overcome too. But one thing I have learned is that everyone can overcome their obstacles. I’m in the process of overcoming an obstacle of my own. Most people (unless they’re on my team), would never guess that I have a medical condition that affects my breathing. Due to the way that I control my breathing, someone may not be able to tell that I’m struggling. The best thing I can do is relax and let it happen. I’ve learned to ignore the fact that it feels like I’m drowning, especially because trying to control it makes it worse. Usually when I have an “attack”, I sit in front of a fan, and my best friend grabs my water for me and holds my shoulders open. Grateful only begins to describe how she makes me feel. In a way, the tactic of relaxing has helped me throughout my day-to-day life. I can metaphorically and emotionally let situations run their course instead of getting worked up. I don’t worry about problems as much anymore, and I’ve learned to take a step back and think.
Not me. I push through for the moment that my entire team hits our end dance section sharp and full of energy because we know we hit a solid routine. I push through for the feeling of walking off stage; breathing labored but hearts full. I push through for practices where the gym is filled with the screams of other athletes cheering for both their own team and mine. I push through for the moment a teammate screams “we hit!” at the end of our pyramid. Most of all, I push through for my