My life is one long string of stressful events. I used to let these things get to me, but now I’ve realized that life is too short to worry all the time.

  Maybe this problem started in kindergarten when one of my old friends took my toy and blamed me for leaving it out. Mrs. Dove made me snip for the first time in my life because of that toy being left out, and I will never forgive that friend.

 There was the time in fifth grade when I missed my first day of school ever for a little league basketball game. I was a nervous wreck trying to keep perfect attendance with the pressure from teammates. All that stress on a 10-year-old, and we lost the game anyway.

 In seventh grade, I got sucked into a whirlpool of drama. This time it manifested itself physically. I began to break out in a stress rash. 

  Tenth-grade chemistry has to be at the top of the list. That combination of classes almost got me. I’ve never come that close to failing any class in my life. I went home to lunch almost every day in a bad mood. I’m so glad I never have to see another stoichiometry test ever again!

  Trying out for all-region and all-state choir may be the least stressful thing I do. However, this is me we’re talking about, and even singing gives me anxiety.

  Sports have to be the biggest things I stress about. It’s not necessarily the sports themselves; it’s the people in them that bring me anxiety. The amount of disrespect, disorganization and rudeness most high school athletes show could make any coach run them until their feet bleed, or until they decide to quit.

  Quitting is not an option for me. My parents always stress that I have to finish what I start. Thinking about quitting something gives me more stress than the stressful thing in the first place.

  I even stressed out about writing this article! Who knew that I could stress out about my own stress column? Maybe I do have a problem…

  Despite all of the on-going stress I face, I’ve learned to ground myself with the little things in life that become a large part of what brings me happiness.-things like my best friend Sydney, my cat Ollie and dog Beasty, church on Wednesday nights, time with my parents or a nap.

  Stress is only mental, but the comfort and love that support me through trying times are what matter most. I’ve let stress define me in the past, but I am working on controlling it instead of it controlling me.