Let Go Of Worrying by Hannah

Let Go Of Worrying by Hannah - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give one piece of advice to my past self, it would be this: worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.


When I was younger, I thought worrying was a way to prepare for the future. I spent many nights overthinking every problem, every “what if,” hoping that by doing this I could control what would happen. I worried about school, friends, and what I would do with my life. At the time, I believed that worrying showed I cared and that it would protect me from failure or disappointment.

But the truth is, worrying only made things harder. It kept me stuck in my head, afraid to take chances or enjoy the present. I would go over problems again and again but never find any answers. I was busy moving back and forth like I was in a rocking chair but never moving forward.

If I could speak to my past self, I would say it is okay not to have everything figured out. Life is full of uncertainty, and no amount of worrying can change that. Instead of using my energy on fear, I should have focused on things I could control. Taking one step at a time, even if I wasn’t sure where it would lead.



Worry does not solve problems. It only makes them feel bigger. The more I worried, the more stuck I became. I missed out on moments of happiness and growth because I was too busy trying to control the uncontrollable.
 I want my past self to know that it is fine to feel scared or unsure. What matters most is not giving in to fear and not wasting time on things that I cannot change. Life will have hard moments, but those moments are part of the journey.

If I could go back, I would tell myself to let go of worry, to stop rocking back and forth in place, and to move forward with hope and courage, even if the path is unclear.

This advice is simple but powerful. Worry only holds us back, but action move us ahead.