Be Where your Feet Are by Kaylynn

Be Where your Feet Are by Kaylynn - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give my past self one piece of advice, it would be this: Be where your feet are. In other words, stay present. Embrace the moment you are in, especially the hard ones, because every experience, no matter how painful, carries a lesson. Life has a way of pushing and pulling us through joy, confusion, heartbreak, and growth. But too often, we allow our minds to live anywhere but here. We dwell on mistakes we can’t undo, or we obsess over a future that hasn’t yet arrived. In doing so, we miss the power and meaning of the moment right in front of us.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and perfectionism, I spent a lot of time either replaying things I wished I had done differently or worrying about outcomes I couldn’t control. I believed that if I could just fix the past or predict the future, I’d feel safe. But in reality, that mindset kept me in a cycle of stress and disconnection. I wasn’t fully present for the people around me. I wasn’t truly listening, feeling, or learning. I was simply surviving. It wasn’t until I went through a series of difficult personal challenges that I began to realize how much I was missing. One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is that hardship is not the enemy, it’s a teacher. When we go through loss, failure, or disappointment, it’s natural to want to escape or fast-forward through the pain. But if we lean into it and choose to be where our feet are, we find clarity, resilience, and strength we didn’t know we had. I would tell my younger self that it’s okay to feel deeply. It’s okay to not have all the answers. What matters is showing up fully, even in the moments that hurt. I’ve come to see that growth doesn’t happen in comfort; it happens in the mess. And every challenge I’ve faced has shaped me into someone more compassionate, grounded, and hopeful. I wouldn’t have discovered that strength if I had rushed through the pain or tried to avoid it altogether.

So to my past self, I would say this: Stop trying to rewrite the past or predict the future. Look down at your feet. Where are you right now? What is life asking you to learn in this moment? There is beauty in the brokenness, and even if you can’t see it yet, you’re becoming someone stronger because of it. Be present. Be open. Be courageous. Every step you take no matter how uncertain, is leading you somewhere worthwhile. That simple shift—living in the now has changed the way I see my life, my relationships, and my future. It’s a practice I return to every day. And I hope that by sharing it, someone else may also find peace in the present.