The Benefits of “Yes” by Jordyn

The Benefits of “Yes” by Jordyn - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

A habit that I have adopted is simply saying yes to every opportunity that comes my way. I used to be a person who had an overwhelming amount of anxiety, which led to me limiting my ability to enjoy my life. I would overthink everything to the point where I wasted too much time in my head instead of finding activities that I enjoyed. I missed the opportunity to try a sport that desired to participate in which led to me missing opportunities where I could have made beautiful relationships with people. Realizing that I was wasting my younger years allowing fear to control my future, I had pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, even if it gave me anxiety. With this new mindset, I had begun to say yes to everything that I had desired to achieve. I joined a new sports team, became involved in my school community and began to volunteer more often, and I made so many wonderful friendships. I even performed in my school’s fall play and discovered an interest in theatre arts. I am honestly grateful to have experienced anxiety because it gave me insight on how fear can truly limit your life. Fear can be an immobilizing factor that ends up stopping you from fulfilling your goals, which stops you from fulfilling your purpose in life. Because of the anxiety that I experienced, I now refuse to regret missed endeavors and choose to say yes to every opportunity that crosses my path.