We all have that voice in our head that constantly reminds us of our to-do list.
Mine always mumbles and chatters about some email I have to send or readings I haven’t completed. It can feel exhausting.
These endless reminders only multiply when you wear different hats: a student, an employee, a friend… the list goes on.
As a student working two part-time jobs, taking care of my mental health hasn’t always been easy.
When life gets in the way, taking care does not always look like a two-hour-long bubble bath, or an extravagant trip to Europe. That’s why you have to make do with what you have.
Over the last couple years, I’ve found ways to maintain my mental health amidst chaos. It’s not always an easy fix, but I found these practices, when done consistently, to be highly effective.
It doesn’t have to be New Year’s Eve or International Self-Care Day, (which, by the way, is on July 24!) for you to take care of yourself. When you take care of your mind, body and soul, you are better equipped to give to your friends, your family, your passion and yourself.
Breathe!
When you feel anxiety seeping through your body, take a deep breath and recognize this tool that is available to you anytime and anywhere.
Notice the thoughts that come up. Is it your to-do list? Don’t act on it immediately, but observe your thoughts from a distance. Look at them with curiosity and without any judgment.
Once you feel disassociated from your thoughts, take a moment to thank them. Thank your thoughts, your feelings of anxiety, the sense of overwhelming pressure — thank them all!
In reality, these emotions and thoughts are your mind’s way of protecting you from what it perceives as dangerous. Recognize the intention behind why your mind is filled with these seemingly negative and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.
However, it’s important to refresh your mind that you are safe and don’t need protection from the work that helps you grow your career.
You can then reassure yourself that it’s OK to let go of these emotions.
Instead of being frustrated with yourself for not being able to concentrate, recognize that your mind and body are only trying to protect you from the unknown and accept that love is needed to relieve yourself from the pressure.
I usually feel myself immediately disarming after this practice.
Relive to relieve!
I read about the “relive to relieve” concept in a book called The Power of Letting Go by John Purkiss, one of the first books I picked up in the new year.
I felt as though a lot of the stress I was feeling was accumulated in my body, which resulted in me having a higher baseline for stress tolerance in my daily life.
To relieve this emotional pressure, Purkiss said a “completion process” is necessary.
The general sense of anxiety you feel is an accumulation of big and small negative events and interactions that form your core beliefs about yourself, others and the world.
When these emotions go unaddressed, they can form into unconscious thoughts and patterns. This can lead to a cycle of anxiety and stress.
So sometimes, the solution to your stress might not be a face mask — it might be an uncomfortable journey within.
Purkiss encourages readers to relive negative experiences in a safe environment as frequently as possible to finally accept and let go completely. He writes that it’s an effective way to let go of the stress that so often leads your life.
However, this requires accepting your feelings of powerlessness.
I found that addressing underlying belief patterns can help me manage challenges better.
Listening to your body
Sometimes, you find yourself doing everything that you are meant to do to feel better. Yet, your mental health doesn’t budge.
Instead, you either feel worse because the gym was meant to release serotonin, but instead you have sore legs. Maybe you slept for eight full hours but still did not feel rested.
So what do you do when traditional health advice doesn’t work?
I find taking a moment to listen to what your body needs is a good start.
This can take some practice, but you will eventually learn to listen to your intuition.
It’s also important to keep in mind that what works for other people in their time of need may not be what you need in that moment.
When faced with life’s stressors, tune into what your body needs from you.
You may need a night in by yourself or you may need to go out and dance it out. In any case, remember to tune inwards to listen to what you need once in a while.
Among the many hats you wear in your professional and personal life, I hope you remember to put on your “human” hat — the only one that will remind you it’s OK to feel overwhelmed and stressed.
The world won’t leave you behind if you take a moment to pause and breathe.
Featured graphic by Graphic by Etta Gerrits.
