By: Supreet Josan
Stress….what is stress?
I define stress as something that’s not physically seen but is mentally present. There are variations of stress, whether that’s from school or life in general. I used to struggle with stress all of the time and still do, but now I know how to deal with it. I’ll let you in on my secret.
This secret isn’t just any secret, it’s a special secret that will make your life 10-times better. I used to (and still do!) stress about the littlest things possible, even if they are not stress-worthy. Stressing affected my physical and mental health almost to a point where I would just lie in my bed and didn’t want to interact with anyone. One day I had a wake up call and said, “Enough is enough—I’ve got to change this.” And so I did.
I am a very involved person, and I love meeting new people. But at times, I feel physically and mentally exhausted and just do not know how to say “no.” The stress builds up, and I always end up having a mental breakdown because I can’t sit down and breathe. I would always get sick from the stress until I learned:
The secret to absolving stress is learning how to say “no.”
I love meeting new people and treating them as if they were already my best friends, but this means I’m prone to giving my all, to everyone, all the time. My friends’ problems can easily become my own if I’m not careful. It is so hard for me to say “no,” but it really has helped with my mental health. I’ve set boundaries with my friends and they’ve learned when it’s time for them to leave me alone. It may seem selfish but your mental health is your priority.
Since I started saying no, I’ve given so much time back to myself. The time I would have spent stressing about other people or other things, I can now rededicate to myself. I’ve learned to take at least two hours of self-care every day. In those two hours, I usually work out, go on walks by myself or with friends, journal and go to therapy. I’ve found that making tea and sitting down to listen to soulful, meditative music has always helped me when I feel extremely stressed. There are lots of ways you can manage stress and prioritize mental health, and you have to find the ones that work for you: whether that’s working out or meditating.
I’m not saying you have to take two full hours a day to focus on yourself, but try to take at least 15 minutes or so for self-care. Quality of time always outweighs quantity of time when it comes to prioritizing mental health. Breathe and solely focus on yourself, and chances are, you will feel better.
As you learn to say no and focus on yourself instead, you may even notice your body improving alongside your mind. Mental health is as important as physical health because having a restful body helps you to focus on other daily activities.
Putting yourself first can seem selfish, but it is not selfish to prioritize your mental health.