Jordan D.
If you’re reading this, give yourself permission to take a breath—you don’t have to prove your worth to anyone.
As a Division I athlete, I used to believe that my value came from how well I performed—how hard I worked, how productive I was, how people viewed me. For so long, I thought being strong meant pushing through everything on my own. I wanted to make everyone proud—my teammates, professors, and family. I thought I had to have everything under control all the time.
But living like that eventually caught up to me. Up until my junior year, my whole life revolved around lacrosse and school. I didn’t make time for rest, self-care, or my friends. I didn’t know how to say no. I thought slowing down meant falling behind. The harder I pushed, the more I lost myself. Eventually, I burned out completely—mentally, emotionally, and physically. I reached a point where I couldn’t function, and that terrified me. That’s when I realized something had to change—I couldn’t keep living like that and still expect to be okay. I had to start choosing myself, even when it felt uncomfortable. I had to change the way I was living in order to save myself.
What I’ve learned is that perfection isn’t strength—it’s pressure. And trying to meet everyone’s expectations only leaves you feeling like you’re never enough. You can’t control how others see you or what they think, but you can control how you treat yourself. You can choose grace over guilt. You can choose rest over exhaustion. And you can choose to ask for help instead of trying to handle everything alone.
I used to think mistakes meant failure. Now, I see them as opportunities to learn. The truth is, negative moments teach you the most—about who you are, what you value, and how you want to grow. You get so much more out of your sport than you realize: discipline, resilience, and self-awareness. But the most important lesson is learning that your worth isn’t tied to a scoreboard or a stat line.
If you’re reading this, please remember—you are more than what you do. You don’t have to please everyone. You don’t have to be perfect to be proud of yourself. You just have to keep showing up, giving your best, and allowing yourself to be human.
Your sport will always be part of you, but the story is yours to write — and you deserve to write it on your own terms.
Jordan DeBlasio, Clemson Women’s Lacrosse, Clemson University
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at Clemson on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to Clemson students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
AUTHOR CONTACT
This author has opted to allow readers who resonate with their story to contact them. If you would like to speak to the author of this letter about their experience, please use the form below.
