<p>In the midst of confusion, clutter, depression, parents, friends, college choices, dreams etc…</p>
<p>Start with what you know on the deepest level, and build upon that. And, don’t believe everything you think! (contradiction, I know)</p>
<p>You know where you are coming FROM
-What choices have led you to where you are at now
-How people around you are reacting to you (“relax…relax”)
-Know that the only ‘use’ for the past is for adjusting to the future. For instance, if you haven’t taken any college courses and have been sitting at home, REALIZE that and LEARN from it in the future. Do your best with what you have (Starting now!)
-If you haven’t played your viola and that is important to you, play it for two minutes and then reevaluate if that was an appropriate decision. Be careful not to dwell on ‘I haven’t played the viola’. If you decide after trying again that it isn’t good for you at that moment, then consciously put it down and move on to the next thing 
right?</p>
<p>You know where you want to go, generally</p>
<h2>-I am impressed with the amount of challenges you are undertaking this fall, and you know those challenges (if chosen correctly) will put you on the path you want to go. Again, I think you should be careful here and realize that if your semester is ‘too challenging’, that is another point to ‘learn from’, and not dwell on. You might be overambitious and approaching a stressful semester because you so badly want to get onto the right track. Give yourself some time (‘relax’ sound familiar?) to pick up the big chunks of glass first, or decide how you will build the next piece of glass. Or maybe you will decide to switch to lego building.</h2>
<p>PLEASE PLEASE, REMEMBER THIS… When people are in situations of struggle, the main thing they do is over challenge themselves to ‘get out of the hole’ as fast as possible. This often times creates a deeper hole, because they have put unrealistic expectations on themselves. The solution in three steps…
-start small (pick up the viola for two minutes only)(write a single paragraph on any topic that you are proud of)
-build up in small bits (as small as is required for 80% success
-know that the road ahead will be bumpy, and don’t be too hard on yourself for not being perfect starting now! </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>