tracy's thread of thoughts!

 For the past 8 months of my life, I’ve strayed away from any romantic relationships, entering what I believed to be a stage of healing, independence and personal evolution. The progress I made from distancing myself from intimacy was so refreshing, almost addictive. I devoted all my time and energy entirely to my responsibilities and growth, jam-packing my schedule with different activities until I had no space to think about anything “unnecessary”. I convinced myself that this level of achieved solitude meant I had unbreakable levels of self-respect and empowerment, especially in a culture where being emotionally detached as a woman was easily rationalized as a necessary act of self-preservation and maturity. This “healing” of mine was blinding me from opportunities of deeper intimacy and important emotional connections. Over time, especially since I hit a “checkpoint” of some sort (meeting someone new) I began to question whether what I thought was “empowerment” was, in truth, a...

  Have you ever been out in public with someone of a different generation, may it be your relative, friend, student, etc, and noticed a huge difference in the ability to stay patient? The older generation is able to handle things at a much slower pace, while the younger seem to be on edge and constant longing for the next stimuli. This is not just a matter of maturity or development, but instead a larger issue of our generations problem of instant gratification. It’s the most common trend that thrive in a culture we’ve grown up with, one that prioritizes convenience, technology, and access over anything else.      The older generation spent a large portion of their lives without the internet or smartphones. As someone who was born into the speed of technology, it’s almost shocking to hear and imagine a life without my phone. A prevalent thought of mine was when my mother told me that when she was in college, she used to follow the pencil tip building in downtown Atla...

    Lately, ever since the new president’s inauguration, I’ve been passionately expressing protest for his administration and choices, with no boundaries even when it comes to friends, family, or peers. While I do think it’s important to fight for what’s right and protest injustice, the response I receive from people such as when I’m met with indifference makes me question: How do I balance my passion for truth and justice while respecting others’ autonomy? What’s my intent vs. my impact? At the heart of my question, I know caring deeply isn’t inherently wrong, but I need to practice balancing that care with patience and humility.      The other day I got into a heated argument with my best friend—we went into a back and forth about other’s’ characteristics and pointed out questionable behaviors or beliefs that we didn’t like about each other. One thing she said that stuck with me was that I tend to preach my beliefs onto people who aren’t going to change....

       We were born to love. It’s just human nature. I’ve observed that people always feel the need to explain or intellectualize the meaning behind things, especially something as big of a topic as romance. So how can we look at it? As social beings, humans tend to have an innate drive for love and belonging with others. According to Robert Waldinger’s speech of what makes a good life (Longitudinal Harvard study), he reveals that it’s not wealth or fame that makes you happy, but meaningful relationships with others. This makes sense from multiple perspectives -- socializing helps fulfill a healthy self-concept that’s crucial for your brain development and mental health throughout life. From early childhood, people seek relationships that provide validation and emotional security that build up a sense of identity and confidence, which are essential for healthy psychological development. This need for connection eventually transitions into their future relationships, ...

       The majority of society has been conditioned to use forgiving language and be lenient when dealing with the topic of addiction. We label it as a disease, we believe that addicts should receive treatment and empathy -- that they shouldn’t be blamed for their behaviors and decisions. We preach this – yes, but deep down many of us have the thought that maybe if they just tried a little harder, they could stop. Every time they choose another destructive behavior over a healthy one, we feel an unavoidable sense of disappointment. We judge them for screwing themselves over, leading into a deeper spiral of self destruction. Surely, if we were in their position, we would never have let it gotten this far, right? Well, this view of seeing addiction as a moral flaw only worsens circumstances for addicts, making it even harder to seek helpful opportunities. It imprints guilt and shame into people who don’t need it on top of their already prominent struggles.   ...

        The title “Denial of Death” sounds edgy I know, but it’s more than just some angsty cynical concept made up by a depressed teen. To break it down, start by thinking about things humans do that go towards a goal. We’re talking going to school, buying the newest trending clothes, donating to charity, getting married, having children, and even going to war. What if all the things we hold so much meaning in are made to be a distraction? A distraction from the one thing we all know is going to inevitably occur: death.          As humans, we have an unconscious fear surrounding death because it proves to us how finite and fragile our lives really are. Becker makes it clear that the world is terrifying-- animals in their natural state tear each other apart in cold blood for the one goal of surviving. As horrible as it is, it’s the reality of creatures on this earth—we simply eat, sleep, reproduce, and die. With human...