Tag: ManageStress

Staying Calm during Challenging Times

Posted on by andrew

Grace Cheng (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

We live in a world full of challenges, but what happens when one encounters a situation in which there is no way out? As humans, we are often faced with difficult events in life, and it is crucial to know how to handle them. In such circumstances, it is extremely important to remain calm and hopeful. While stress is a normal part of modern life, if you frequently find yourself in situations that are stressful and feel panicked or overwhelmed, you may benefit from learning some coping strategies.  

 

There is no need to avoid all forms of stress when cultivating calm. When we take time to breathe, connect and care, we may find that some of the negative feelings we have been running from will become apparent. The key is to practice self-compassion at that time; feeling bad is okay. Having resilience does not mean that we will always be happy, but that we will have the energy, the attitude, and the support to help us cope with a life’s challenges.

 

The following ten tips will help you stay calm during life’s most challenging moments.

 

  1. Mediation

 

It has been proven that meditation reduces stress. It also changes the brain over time, allowing you to control your emotions more effectively and stay calm when you need it most. Meditation regularly can thus assist you in better handling stressful moments in the long run. 

 

  1. Taking a Deep Breath

 

Deep breathing is an effective method of calming yourself down. Whenever you feel that your brain has reached a deadlock state, you should breathe properly and make sure your body is getting adequate oxygen. Close your eyes and take some time to relax. By doing so, you will be able to deal with the situation more effectively.

 

  1. Positive Thinking

 

Believe it or not, if you are filled with negative thoughts, you will be unable to deal with any situation. Negative thoughts and unnecessary fears may cause you to feel extremely restless and exhausted. To overcome difficult times, you must maintain a positive attitude. By telling yourself that you are capable of doing a particular task, rather than thinking that you will not be able to accomplish it, you will be more likely to succeed. By remaining positive, your brain can avoid stress and remain calm.

 

  1. Slowing Down

 

In bad situations, try not to react immediately if at all possible. Allow yourself some time to gather and analyze as much information as possible regarding the situation at hand. To avoid confusion, it is important to provide accurate data. A clear vision can only be achieved with the right information.

 

  1. Receiving Help from Others

 

There is nothing wrong with seeking assistance from others. The best thing that you can do if you are deeply stuck in a problem is to ask people for help. If you are unable to resolve a problem calmly, your loved ones will ensure that you will not face the problem for a long time. During rough times, you can always rely on your friends and family for support.

 

  1. Exercise

 

When it comes to managing stress and dealing with external pressure, exercise is just as important as sleep. Exercise causes your body to release feel-good hormones and helps you to clear your mind.  

 

  1. Sleep

 

When you have not had a good night’s sleep, everything seems to be worse. You can often end up in a vicious cycle due to stress and anxiety from not being able to sleep and then feeling worse. Prioritize your sleep, especially if you are under a lot of pressure.

 

  1. Being Grateful

 

You can maintain a positive attitude by remaining grateful for everything you have in your life, no matter how small. It has been shown that people who keep a gratitude journal daily have lower levels of cortisol which is the hormone responsible for stress. You may find it helpful to take a few moments at the end of each day to write down a few things you are grateful for and see how much better you feel as a result.

 

  1. Finding Solutions

 

To solve complicated situations, it is also helpful to get to the root of the problem and solve it first. After finding the root cause, you will have a much better understanding of the steps taken to reach that point.  

 

  1. Writing Emotion Journals

 

During tough moments, releasing emotions can help you remain calm. Oftentimes, when life throws you an overwhelming challenge, you may feel angry, helpless, afraid, sad, or ashamed. The storage of emotions leads to feelings of panic and a feeling of being out of control when they are bottled up. Understanding how to honor your emotions will also assist you in understanding more effective coping methods.

 

You can take control of your destiny today by being calm and developing inner peace.

 

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Grace has an accounting and finance background. She enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, watching movies and playing sports.

You Matter

Posted on by andrew

Christina Liao (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

Sometimes, days become stormy and you feel worthless. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you,” your brain thinks as you look at the mirror in the morning. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you,” your brain thinks as you leave your house. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you,” your brain thinks as you keep your head down and can’t hear your thoughts over the noise. Everyone can feel insignificant on cloudy days, and when that’s happening it’s crucial to remember that you matter. When your brain says “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you,” it’s important to let your heart respond with “I matter, I matter, I matter,” even when you can’t quite bring yourself to believe it. Power through it, and there’s going to be a light on the other end of the tunnel when you get there. 

 

When you start to feel like you’re worthless or not good enough, it’s key to take a step back, reevaluate yourself and continue on with your day. On some days, it may be hard to look over the dirt and grime, but time prevails and you will eventually feel better, the harder you try. On some days, it seems as if pain becomes an endless pit. Loneliness, worthlessness and overthinking can completely consume your life. When that happens, it is important to take a break from whatever you’re doing and think about the things that make you happy. Go read a book, listen to some calming music, take a walk. Do something that makes you feel at ease. That’s always worked for me, at least. Distracting myself from thoughts about things that I know shouldn’t matter but still worry about has always been a good strategy.

 

Emotions can become overwhelming, and it’s important to find ways to distract yourself when they do. Whether it’s sitting down and watching some television or meditating, it’s important to compose your feelings and keep them in check. Overthinking is unhealthy, but when you’re stressed it becomes almost second nature to overthink. Stress and anxiety come hand-in-hand. Feeling stressed is unavoidable, but it’s important to handle it in a healthy way. Take some breaks, steady your breathing and sleep better. The stress will pass as time passes. Anxiety however, can become a problem, because if it is a constant in your day then it doesn’t go away. Different people deal with it by using different methods, and it’s important to find your own method that is catered to you. If things become really bad, maybe it’s time to find a trained professional to help you through your troubles. Therapists really help and more people are in therapy than you might think. The stigma against getting help really shouldn’t be a thing, because it’s normal to seek it when you need it.

 

Many celebrities are advocates of mental health because they have their own problems with it. Someone as successful as Taylor Swift still goes through anxiety like everyone else, and that makes her just as human as anyone else. In fact, Taylor probably has more anxiety than you and I, having to deal with a global audience assessing her appearance every second of her life. It’s important for the stigma against mental health treatment to be nullified, because everyone has their troubles and those involving mental health problems are normal. Even someone like Taylor Swift goes through them and comes out stronger when they get out the other end.

 

It’s a good strategy to know when you need help and when you’re in a good place – monitor your emotions. Keep a mood tracker handy, write a journal to keep your thoughts in check, whatever works for you is what you need to do to be aware of your mental state. Especially in the midst of this pandemic, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. When you do, remember to relax, distract yourself and just breathe. Power through it, and you’ll come out from a tough spot stronger than ever. Life is messy, and it’s okay to feel like your emotions are overloading your life. Just find healthy ways to contain them when it happens and power through the darkness.

 

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My name is Christina and I am currently a student at Simon Fraser University in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. I love listening to music, reading, writing and, honestly, anything Marvel. In short, I’m a total nerd. I volunteer as a blog writer here at Low Entropy.