With finals on their way and the end of the semester approaching faster and faster, it can be easy to allow your stress and anxiety to get you down. However, happiness and positivity are a state of mind rather than a result of things that happen to you. Here are a few ways to correct yourself if you find your sense of humor getting a bit darker than usual.
1. If you feel yourself getting really stressed, which happens to everyone, and feel you might be spiraling a bit, think about something you are grateful for, like your family, a book you are enjoying, your friends, that Colton finally lost his virginity and we don’t have to hear about it anymore. Literally anything that you feel will lighten your mood and shift your perspective.
2. Read a book or watch a movie that you enjoy. Borrowing books from Bentley’s library is a really great and economical way to find something new to enjoy that will broaden your worldview and start a conversation. If you don’t feel like reading, Netflix has some great shows out that are funny and light, like Santa Clarita Diet, Big Mouth, and Grace and Frankie, which are all some of my favorites when I’m feeling down.
3. Take deep breaths and maybe pick up yoga or another form of exercise that you enjoy and that relaxes you. Yoga is a great way to focus on breath and recognize the balance and beauty in the universe, and can help improve positivity.
4. Listen to music you enjoy and that has a positive message you can take with you through the day.
5. Eat food that is healthy and brings you joy, like a grilled chicken salad with nuts, cheese and dressing, or fruit that you really like.
6. Talk about what is stressing you out to friends and family you trust so that they can help you figure out the root of your anxiety and negativity. Talking about these things can help bring your stress into perspective and might offer a solution to issues you are dealing with.
The end of the year can be a really stressful time with the internship or full-time job search at its anxiety peak. Don’t worry though because everything happens for a reason, so if you find yourself feeling really down and negative, try to look at the positives because every not-so-great experience is a learning lesson on your road to success.