Opal Almerico

My name is Opal Almerico, and I am a Y-Labber at Lab 51. My personal vision statement I’ve created for myself is, “living in the present to improve the future.” My artifact relates to this by providing an opportunity for my peers to get outside, and put their minds at ease by focusing on the here and now in order to move forward in their day with peace and readiness. Doing good to me means making an effort to make a difference in the work you do in and out of school. It means you are intentional about the impact your words and actions make on those around you, and you try your best to make change for the better in your community. This can be anything from what I chose to do with a personal wellness practice, to organizing a school wide fundraiser for a local homeless shelter. The practice I decided to lead is something that has helped me throughout this time of stress and uncertainty, and I felt it may be beneficial to others as well. I’ve learned you can’t do good for others until you do good for yourself first, and support your mental health needs. It breaks my heart when I see people around me making self deprecating comments, or having an unhealthy mindset that they are incapable or unworthy. I wanted to share this wellness practice to spread positivity, and emphasize the idea of being your own best friend. I think this experience inspires others to do good, by encouraging them to take time for themselves so they can put their best foot forward without the burden of self hatred on their shoulders. Something I have learned over the past 10 weeks is that there are always going to be tasks at hand that stress you out in the moment, but if you always let these stressors be your main focus and root of your anxiety you will constantly be anxious and never win. You have the power to live freely while still having obligations, you just need to prioritize your mental health and be balanced about how you choose to spend your time!