Bee-Leaf in Yourself, Too
November 6, 2024
Writer: Sophia Singh
Editor: Sara Tweed
Several years ago, I stumbled upon a cute animated graphic on Instagram. It was a bee on a leaf, with the caption ‘Bee Leaf in Yourself!”. Yes, I know, it seems kind of juvenile and silly looking back at it now, but I honestly thought it was pretty revolutionary at the time. It quickly became a saying I adopted in everyday life, and my friends and family would often hear me say it to them. Anytime my friends were overly harsh on themselves, or worried about failing an upcoming exam, there would always be a “bee leaf in yourself” text being sent their way by me or said with a hug.
Although the phrase has slowly started to phase its way out of my life, I still use it in high-stress times. Just a few weeks ago, one of my friends, Lexi, had a biochemistry midterm and a physics midterm within a few days of each other. Rightfully so, she was stressed out and very worried. Lexi is extremely smart and talented, but sometimes it’s so easy to lose ourselves in the stress of school. We all need a reminder every once in a while of how capable we are to take on every day. I texted her the classic “just bee-leaf in yourself :))” message in our group chat, and everyone sent even more affirmations to emphasize the sentiment.
As much as I believe in the practice of uplifting others, I often fall short when it comes to doing it for someone else important: myself. To be fair, I realize that it is a lot easier said than done. It comes from a more natural place for me to support others, but it’s equally as natural to be hard on myself. Sometimes I get so bogged down with exams, papers, and general anxiety, that it becomes a lot easier to continue to wallow in that mood than find the energy to face every day with a positive attitude. But, I am working on it, and I think that’s pretty good for now. I remind myself of the small things that are so easy to forget (but are still really big in actuality): I have my health, I can think, breathe, see, and I have my family and friends. There isn’t much else necessary for my general success in this lifetime. It’s a blessing to have my biggest struggle be school and working– and I don’t take that for granted.
So yes, I welcome the failed exams, the late nights studying, the tears, I welcome it all. Because at the end of the day, I still bee-leaf in myself, too.
Image: Zoe Romeu
