For more than a year, I’ve worn nothing more consistently and more happily than my UGG boots. Each morning, I’m happy to slide into the soft fluff interior before walking out the door. Although I do make use of my other shoes, none have brought me the same satisfaction. And I think that’s because amid my busy, sometimes stressful life, wearing a pair of shoes that feels like a foot pillow is my own quiet act of kindness to myself. I’m often reminded by my friends and family to relax, to sleep more, laugh more, value myself over my ambition. It’s the same advice I’d give myself. But it’s easier said than done.
And so, as I work toward this goal of balance in my life, I search for joy in small rituals: perhaps my weeknight tea, maybe an extra long shower. More consistently, it’s my UGGs.
No matter how greatly rushed I feel to do more, I always allow myself to slow down enough to wear a cozy pair of shoes, which frankly, aren’t built to speed up my pace. But, I think that’s what I truly need sometimes—a reminder to slow down, to breathe.
It’s not always easy to do what sounds simple. I find it really difficult to give myself grace when I make mistakes or when my body is stretched thin over too many tasks. But progress starts small, and maybe my mini UGG boot is just the right size for a beginner.
My UGGs are only a current trend in my shoe wardrobe; footwear have, for a long time, impacted the way I feel. And in this phase of my life, the comfort of UGGs is what I gravitate towards most.
Life always seems to remind us that with one beginning comes another end. I’ve finally begun to accept the end of my senior year, the end of my time writing for this paper. In my sophomore year, I wrote about my worn out pair of purple Crocs. They reminded me not to abandon the playful joy of my childhood. It seems I may need that reminder now more than then as I count down the weeks, the days of this comfortably familiar life as I know it: sitting with my friends in daily classes, basking under the San Diego sun, dancing onstage at competitions, and sleeping under the green wall of my bedroom, which I painted by hand in sixth grade.
One thing I look forward to, which I’ve mentioned perhaps excessively to those around me, is auditioning for my university dance team. Although I’m still unsure of my future campus, I’ve had my eye on one group of college dancers that sparkle on the field in navy blue glitter and bright, knee-high, white leather boots. I’m hoping, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to wear them one day too.
True, I’m a sucker for sparkle. But, what I’m also drawn to is what the boots would mean: stepping into this new chapter of my life with confidence in myself, emanating the same sparkle of excitement and joy to outshine any fear of the unknown. I’m sure my place in life will continue to change, but so will I. No matter what challenge life throws at me, I’m confident that I’ll find the right shoe to walk through it.
