Category Mental Health

5 Things to Remember When Anxiety and Stress Cause a Mess

Taylor Kent 6 Comments

GO, GO, GO!  Faster!  This way, that way!  Life pulls us in all different directions; sometimes we forget to appreciate where we are.  I recently noticed that I have been getting absurdly overwhelmed with the number of things I have on my plate; I can’t seem to say “No!”  In this world, having downtime is a blessing, something I haven’t been familiar with for quite some time.

So, I decided to do something about that way I was feeling.  Last week, I looked at yoga and how practicing that could help me find peace with myself and where I am.  I recall that I said I was going to update you on my progress with my yoga habits, but unfortunately, I have been too afraid to start.  I found that I was becoming more and more aware of the presence of my yoga mat in my room, just another item on my “To Do” list that I hadn’t addressed, so I put the yoga mat into my closet and decided that I would try and deal with my emotional block first.  Due to this setback, this week, I attended a seminar focused on the subject of how to deal with anxiety and stress in all aspects of life.  Here’s what I learned:

1. You are not alone

Yes, this is corny; no, it is NOT uncalled for.  I am the kind of person who thinks that I am invincible, that I can accomplish everything that needs to be done in a fast and efficient manner, and that I can surpass all expectations all the time.  Sounds like a lot to live up to, right?  Well, surprise!  It is.  Thankfully (I think?) I’m not the only one who has ever felt overwhelmed by this massive ideal.  Remembering that other people are feeling exactly that way I feel is both warming and concerning at the same time.  I would never wish for others to feel stressed or anxious, but at the same time, it makes me feel like part of a group; I feel “normal,” which is sometimes all you need.

2. You are not on anyone’s life schedule but your own

There is no set time frame in which you have to have something done!  You do NOT need to:

  • Graduate high school by 18
  • Graduate college by 22
  • Get married by 25
  • Buy a house by 27
  • Have kids by 29
  • Travel the world by 33
  • Be a millionaire by 35

There are plenty of people in this world who haven’t done any of the aforementioned at all, but they are out there thriving, so there is certainly no timeline for any of these events.  Learn more about how your life doesn’t have a timeline here!

3. You need to tune into your thoughts

Watch where your mind wanders when these stressful times present themselves.  Are you able to change what is happening?  Can you do anything right now to affect the outcome?  If “No” is the most accurate answer to these questions, then acknowledging that there is nothing you can do in this moment may help to settle the storm that is brewing in your mind.  Try to find peace in that you can rest for now knowing there is nothing more you can do.  Here, a little meditation might come in handy.  If those thoughts are running rampant, try this 5 Minute Calming Meditation.  Don’t think you have five minutes?  Think again.

4. You can find relief in mindfulness practice

Be in this moment.  Find yourself exactly where you are.  Are you walking down the street?  Are you sitting in a chair?  Are you driving?  Are you running?  Feel your movements.  Take something that you ordinarily wouldn’t notice, and experience it with your full awareness.  How do your feet feel in your shoes?  How does the air feel?  Is it warm?  Comfortable?  Cold?  How do your hands feel?  Are you holding anything?  Okay, now shoulders, are they tight?  Are you tense?  When you are being mindful, this is not necessarily a time to change how you feel.  You don’t have to release tension or adjust the way you are sitting.  Being mindful means to acknowledge exactly where you are, and this doesn’t need to come with judgement.

5. You are not perfect

One of Hannah Montana’s greatest hits, “Nobody’s Perfect,” is an anthem that we should all live by.  Take into account that you’re not perfect, that you make mistakes, that everything doesn’t always go as planned.  The uncertainty is part of life, and it’s what keeps things interesting.  Embrace this uncertainty and imperfection, and let it guide you.  Stay on your toes, and be ready for what’s next, because what’s ahead just might change your life!  In case you forgot how the Hannah Montana’s song goes, check it out here, and remember, nobody’s perfect!

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with feeling stressed or anxious, but if you ever think that it’s too much for you to handle, don’t be afraid to reach out.  These are normal human feelings, and getting help is a brave, courageous move that you can make.  If you need immediate assistance, text CONNECT to 741741 or visit crisistextline.org for more information. 

Additionally, you can always reach out to me! Drop a comment below on what has you stressed out today, and let’s work through it.  Hopefully this coming week is the one where I finally start my yoga journey I mentioned in my last post!

Undeniably, Taylor

What Everybody Ought to Know about Yoga and Mental Health

Taylor Kent 10 Comments

Readers, you know how you always have that one friend who is an avid advocate for yoga?  “Yeah, yoga changed my life.  My essence has been transformed since I started taking yoga seriously.  You should totally join me; let’s get this Zen.”

Well, maybe you don’t have that type of friend, but BOY, I absolutely do.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m supportive of my friends and whatever they choose to spend their time doing (too many people are judgmental these days; support your friends!), but I’ve never really gotten into yoga.  My goal right now is to do a little research, find out what’s so good about yoga from the perspectives of others, and then I might dabble in the art form.

Let’s (TED) Talk!

To start off my research, I watched a TED Talk that caught my eye.  If you haven’t heard of a TED Talk, I have to say, you’re missing out entirely.  I started with the TED Talk called “Yoga and its connection to mental health” by Nikolai Blinow.

~ Differences ~

As a yoga teacher and mental health counselor, Blinow examines the similarities and differences in the way that mental health counseling and yoga treat people.  What I mean by this is for mental health counseling, “We focus on what’s going wrong with people instead of what’s going right.”  When Blinow made this statement, it struck a chord with me.  How could something that is such a vital form of health care sound so cold?  In my life, I know a few people who attend such counseling sessions, and now I wonder how productive these sessions truly are.  This statement illuminates the idea that maybe there is a different way to approach the feeling of unhappiness.

Blinow continues and explains that yoga takes a slightly different approach toward people; yoga seeks to help people “learn strategies to treat the root of unhappiness versus just treating the symptoms.”  Although this seems intuitive, to treat the root cause of a problem, it can often be overlooked.  Attempting to reach the root cause can prevent or at least lessen the degree of effect that a certain feeling can have on a person.  It’s important that we take care of ourselves, and it can be hard to find or admit the root cause of our unhappiness but admitting to the cause is the first step you need to take.

~ Similarities ~

Yoga and mental health counseling, here we’ll specifically look at cognitive behavioral therapy, do share traits.  Cognitive behavioral therapy is broken down into four sections that are intertwined: behavior, feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations.  Each area is treated in a different way, but when looking at the makeup of the ideals that are encompassed by yoga, yoga attempts to treat the same sections as cognitive behavioral therapy.  Although yoga technically involves more components and is made up in a linear model, the components from mental health counseling and yoga overlap.   Since yoga and mental health counseling are both trying to reverse and be proactive about feelings of unhappiness, yoga doesn’t seem so much like a “status” activity; yoga is much more about personal health and well being.

All right, I think I convinced myself; I’m going to try and get into a yoga routine.  With the differences and similarities between yoga and mental health counseling all weighed out, I am going to try it out and see how it goes.  Check back with me next week to see my flexibility progress.  Who knows, maybe I’ll become the next advocate for yoga!  If you have a favorite yoga pose, drop a comment below, and I’ll try it out!

Undeniably, Taylor