The Path To Self Discovery

I’ve always been the type to internalize my personal dilemmas. I don’t often reach out to others in times of emotional turmoil— I look within myself. Everyone knows that pushing down or hiding your emotions— to avoid dealing with them— is detrimental to your mental health and relationships. But I’ve found that many of the anxieties that plague my psyche on a day-to-day basis are more easily worked through within myself if I allow myself to really feel them.

My ideal formula for processing my emotions is by walking— no music, no podcast, no Tiktok video repeating on my phone— just me, my brain, and the sidewalk. Some of my most life-altering moments of self discovery occurred while I strolled, so absorbed in thought that my legs seem to be moving on their own. I discovered my proclivity for walking in silence out of necessity; sometimes when my schedule is particularly busy, my short walks to class and work are some of my only “solitary” moments. I had to give up the Spotify app for more pertinent reasons— planning out the rest of my day, mentally revising my Roman history notes, rehearsing the meeting I had with my boss that evening, even planning my outfits for nights out. I quickly found that my brain does its best, clearest thinking while I’m on the move. Because of this, I often give up the time I’d dedicate to a physical journal to partake in a truly physical form of expression. 

For many people, intense rumination has an almost instantaneous turnaround to panic attacks and anxiety spirals— myself included. As you dwell on the unsavory aspects of your world in the isolation of your room, it’s likely to feel like the end of the world; as if the walls are closing in while your thoughts grow larger, bringing you closer and closer to emotional explosion. Forcing yourself to be in nature as you ruminate, among fellow humans with lives just as complex as your own, serves as an existential reminder: your worthiness and purpose stretch far beyond the anxieties you feel in the moment. Who knows, maybe the girl that smiled at you 15 feet back went through the exact same thing and made it out alive. 

In 2025, we’re all partial to multitasking. Cooking dinner while we watch the news, writing essays with a podcast in the background, even sleeping with a sitcom episode blasting across our room. Even as a huge proponent of blaring music 24/7, I have to admit that it is a great distraction. But if you really feel that taking things one at a time is a waste, think of it this way: You’re getting fresh air (a necessity that we often neglect), exercising your body, and working out your brain all at the same time. Engaging in three healthy habits simultaneously couldn’t possibly be a waste of time.

Strike Out,

Mia Cadaret, Writer

Strike Magazine Chattanooga