Ceci M.

Ceci is a 21-year-old student-athlete from Santiago, Chile. She is a junior pursuing a degree in Business at Belmont Abbey College. She is an active member of the women’s field hockey team which she described as bringing her many opportunities to travel and meet new friends. Ceci’s story is a testament to her strength and powerful commitment to fulfilling her goals in life. Having a natural strong will, Ceci has been able to accomplish many achievements and continue striving towards her passion of building her future career in the United States. 

Ceci describes her childhood as fulfilling because of the close-knit family ties that her parents helped create as well as her passion for playing the game of field hockey. Seeing her family's dedication towards their relationships and careers inspired Ceci to pursue field hockey at a collegiate playing level. She spent much time during her teenage years improving her skill in which she was eventually invited to play for Chile’s national field hockey team when she was just a sophomore in high school. Becoming a part of Chile’s national field hockey team was a huge achievement and a major step in reaching her goal of playing college field hockey in the United States. However, in her last couple years of high school, Ceci began to experience burnout and describes the difficulties of trying to balance academics and athletics. Between the hour drive it took to get to the national team’s practices, homework on a nightly basis, and making time for herself to recover; her demanding schedule started to take a toll and her passion for playing field hockey began to dwindle. At one point in time, Ceci even began to question what the future held for her as everything in her life started to feel like a chore rather than her fulfilling her passions and goals. Ceci managed to push through the challenges she was facing as she finished high school and received a scholarship opportunity to play college field hockey in the United States. 

When asked about her current goals, Ceci emphasized her short-term goal of graduating from college with her Business degree and finding a job that she can enjoy that also allows her to stay in the United States as a working member of society. She enjoys living in the United States as it has brought her many opportunities to succeed and build a future for herself to strive independently. Ceci decided to earn a degree in business after working as a manager in a coffee shop that her mother owns, back home in Chile. Working in a family-owned business helped Ceci develop a second passion in life: leadership. She stated “I enjoy management. I could see myself doing that professionally.” Seeing her mother run a successful business and helping her alongside the operations of her coffee shop prompted the path Ceci is currently following. She credits her strong work ethic and determination to her mother by mentioning the inspiring journey of building a business from scratch. 

Ceci understands the importance of mental health awareness after going through her challenges while she was still in high school. She noted the importance of taking care of their emotional well-being so they don’t experience issues such as burnout and not being able to function as cohesively as they were before. Mental breakdowns are common for people who become overwhelmed with various aspects of life. One of the most valuable lessons Ceci was able to learn through her experiences is the power of acceptance. She remarks, “You have to accept that you’re going through something. It’s okay not to feel okay and once you recognize that, you can start working through it.” Not only is acceptance a keynote in becoming aware of mental health issues, but it is also the first stepping stone to truly understanding how one’s mentality works. 

Ceci’s advice to others struggling with mental health challenges seems simple but extremely powerful in effectiveness. She advises people to take breaks when completing tasks and to be sure not to isolate themselves. Taking the right amount of time for restful breaks relates to preventing burnout from occurring. It is easy for a person to skip small breaks when they are trying to complete a task or an activity promptly; however, this may lead to more stress which in turn can lead a person down a path of experiencing burnout and other mental health issues. Sometimes self-isolation is used by people who feel like socializing is an emotionally draining burden. Self-isolation may be a healthy practice in moderation but overall Ceci advises people to have the courage and talk to others about their thoughts and feelings. Mental health challenges may be difficult to experience but Ceci concludes that going through tough situations can promote personal growth. “It makes you stronger when you come out on the other side. It teaches you about life and prepares you for what’s ahead.”

Ceci hopes her story encourages others to seek how they can gain perspective and positive growth when experiencing mental health challenges. Her story embodies the powerful message of staying resilient but also knowing when to ask for help. Ceci adds, “You have to love yourself and trust that you can do things on your own. That is what has helped me the most.” Going through life is also about experiencing challenges because, without them, it would be impossible for personal growth to occur. Finding strength to overcome life’s biggest challenges may be easier said than done but once a person finds how they gain their strength, there is nothing that can stop them from completing their dreams and aspirations.