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The student news site of Hoover High School

The Cardinal

The student news site of Hoover High School

The Cardinal

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The pursuit of my own

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Since the young age of 11, I’ve been going to war with anxiety. I would overthink each breath, inhaling the unsettled. From a daily to an occasional battle, my own happiness is what I developed to fight for and prioritize over the worries that floated throughout my head. The adversity I faced taught me that prioritizing happiness isn’t selfish but a necessary pursuit for our own well-being.

Whether nourishing my happiness through something extensive like purchasing unnecessary things and taking trips out of town or something simple as walking my dog around the block or journaling to unravel my thoughts, the little things make cherishing memories. These overlooked simple joys are a reminder that happiness is in life’s seemingly and easily missed moments. The joy I find in these experiences completes me, giving me a new calming view where everything is worth it.

However, obsessing over the sensation of happiness can bring negative consequences, eradicating healthy behaviors and increasing the risk of addictions to one’s temporary joy. We can end up with permanent damage when we hunt and select excruciating solutions over the ones that truly benefit our well-being. A stubborn search for happiness can lead to the decay of responsibilities and life-term goals when their only source of satisfaction comes from their wicked habits.

Nevertheless, it’s important to find the perfect balance in how and when we seek our happiness, guaranteeing that the pursuit of happiness doesn’t interrupt the happiness of others or restrain our own growth and responsibilities. Prompting the prioritization of happiness boosts well-being, solidity, and positive and supportive communities. I stay committed to being happy and seeing its importance because of how much I struggled to maintain it in my younger years. To produce and represent my happiness is contagious. I can spread some positivity in someone’s life who may be experiencing the same suffering as me.

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About the Contributor
Kenia Ortiz
Kenia Ortiz, Junior Editor
Kenia Ortiz is a Junior at Hoover High School. She was born at the spookiest yet coziest time of the year, October 6th. Like the season she was born in, the cold, crisp weather fall brings is her favorite. Outside school, Kenia spends her days listening to music, watching movies, and taking long walks. The Weeknd, Giveon, and The Internet band are her top artists. She’ll never tire of rewatching her favorite childhood movies, Madagascar and Cars. Her favorite meal is chicken alfredo and pink lemonade for any occasion. She despises slow walkers and loud talkers. She could come off as dull, but in all reality, she’s a tranquil and non-judgmental being who cherishes laughs and the petite things in life. She enjoys her independent time as an introvert although, pushes to be more out there by being additionally involved with the school. Kenia is part of Cardinals Interact, where they support their Cardinal family in every way possible. She plans to join clubs such as IMIN and Key Club. She adores the work of expressing her lens of the world through writing, especially with the opportunities her yearbook class brings. She aspires to graduate here at Hoover High, as it is traditional in her family, and at least four years in college, preferably SDSU, where she will strive for a career in the photography industry. Her biggest motivation is to be the first of her three siblings to attend and complete college for her mom, who she looks up to. Kenia desires improvement within herself, to acquire her full potential, and to find self-love for who she is. She truly believes the world could be better if we held love and basic respect for one another as a family. Today, she aims daily to own up to her beliefs, not only with care and love for her peers but understanding them as well.