Alexandra Niblo

Definition Essay

10/1/2020

Within, Outside, In School

The feeling of finally overcoming a challenge is like a weight being lifted off your

shoulders. Reaching the end of a hard task and being able to say the words “I did it” is

relieving. The tough, difficult and exhausting obstacles of a challenge can either tear

one down or make the try harder to overcome it. Challenges accor in all forms such as

through mental challenges, physical challenges and even academic challenges. All

come with their own obstacles, but in the end have a feeling of accomplishment once

they are overcome.

‘ Mental illness can challenge one's mental strength. Anxiety is a grueling mental

illness that tests people everyday. The constant feeling of feeling isolated and scared of

every little thing and the worry from events in the past and possible future events that

may turn out bad messes with one's mind. Being someone that struggles with these

challenges, it impacts my daily life. Constantly worrying about not only the big things in

life, but the little things in life ruined my life through constant anxiety attacks. Reaching

out for help was hard, but if I didn’t, overcoming the obstacles I face everyday wouldn’t

have been possible. The challenges and struggles I faced may have affected me, but I

was able to move past them and conquer them. I thought it would be impossible for me

to find a way to help my anxiety and suppress it, but I was able to. I overcame the

challenge and got some of my life back in the end.

At a young age, I was put into every sport under the sun. As time went on I finally

figured out which sport was for me which was competitive skiing. The wear and tear I
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put on my body was extensive and went on for years. I reached a point where I wanted

to give up and stop training and competing. The physical pain not only while I was

training, but the pain after training and competing drained me. It would’ve been easy for

me to quit and not face the challenge, but instead I kept working. I realized that the

challenge was hard because I wasn’t taking it head on. I let it get the best of me, but

once I fought back and took the challenge by the horns, I overcame it. By working

harder, training more and making my body adjust to the challenges I was able to move

on and work past the challenges thrown at me. Through hard times and moments of

doubt, the confidence and determination helped me succeed.

Challenges are not only faced mentally and physically, but they are also

encountered through academics. Students are placed under great pressure to sustain

high grades and to take rigorous courses which is not any easy thing to do. As getting

into college gets more competitive, students have to challenge themselves more just to

hope to get into a good college by taking higher level classes. When taking these higher

level classes, it challenges students to learn and retain the information faster all while

trying to keep their grade up. Students can give up and decide not to challenge their

knowledge and stay at a core study, but others take the challenge by the horns and

choose to take the harder level classes. The challenge is hard at the time, but in the

end, the challenge is worth it. It shows dedication and the want to expand knowledge.

Mental, physical and academic challenges all come with their own set of

obstacles. Facing a challenge typically has a negative connotation, but it can also have

a positive connotation. A challenge is seen as a struggle with a tough and difficult time,

but it can also be seen as a way to push a person to become better. Even though

challenges are another brick in the road, in the end they help a person become stronger

mentally, physically, and academically.

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