Don’t just say it, do it

Ally Smith, Fold Editor

So, I sat down to write this very article. I brainstormed countless arguments I could have on the paper in front of me. I thought of the importance of coaching, the terrible truth behind slut-shaming, the dire status of Earth’s climate, why we need a female president and even more. 

And, while I do think coaches heavily impact development, slut-shaming needs to be stopped, climate change is killing us slowly and we need a female president, I also think that these are bigger issues than I can address here. I do have an opinion on these topics, but nothing I could say about them could make a genuine impact on the problem.

However, what I can do is make applicable changes to my life. I can be the change I want to see, but preaching about problems I can’t solve won’t help. For example, I work as a coach myself. I have had my fair share of coaches who had a negative impact on me, and I can see the way that those experiences have shaped me into who I am today. So, when I am coaching, I pay special attention to how my words and actions as a coach would affect me if I were the child on the receiving end. Since I have been that kid before, I understand how influential and impactful a coach can be on a developing kid, so I strive to be a positive impact on everybody I coach. 

Even beyond coaching, I choose not to judge my fellow women for the decisions they make about their lives because I think women need to stand together. I try to be conscious of the environment by using reusable water bottles, being vegetarian because it is good for our planet and more. If she is still in the race, I will vote for Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 election. I let the opinions I have shape who I am, and if I feel passionately about something, I make the change in my life to support my opinion. 

I have seen so many people dwell on issues that are larger than them, and let these problems have an impact on their emotional well-being. I do understand how upsetting certain topics can be to people because they can be just as upsetting to me; however, I do not see the point in letting these issues affect my daily life. It can be easy to let others’ opinions anger me because they are unlike mine, but let the anger motivate me to live by others’ words instead of adding fuel to the flames.