By DMA Junior Leslie Barrell

I want to share three strategies that I learned in Optimistic Mindset that I’ve integrated into my life. First, I’ve been going to sleep early. I like to go to sleep early because it makes me feel more refreshed and not as tired in the morning. It makes me want to do more things in the morning and not just sleep past my alarm. It keeps me more focused in class and not just trying to keep myself from falling asleep. 

The second strategy is understanding that I will always have areas to improve in. No one is perfect so everyone always has something to improve on. In softball, there is always something I can improve on because I’m not perfect at a sport. At practice there’s always some type of drill I can do to help myself become better than I am.  

The third lesson is trying to be there for others. You never know what someone can be going through even if they don’t show it. Someone can look like they are really happy, even though they might be going through a bunch of stuff at home or just in general. It’s good to be someone a person can talk to when they feel upset and have no one to talk to. It’s always good to be friendly and kind to people you have never talked to.