SOVA Blog

by Meraki_Moon02

Chrono-nutrition: What is it? And How it can Help You!

September 15, 2022 in Educate Yourself

Chrono-nutrition is an emerging field of study within nutrition. This field essentially studies eating meals according to your circadian rhythm. Studies have shown timing your meals and snacks times around your biological clock is proven to be beneficial.
 
For instance, eating irregularly can throw off your biological clock, which can affect your sleep quality. A study conducted on young adults found that young adults, who ate within three hours of bedtime were more likely to be awake overnight.
 
Occasional late-night eating that typically involves sugary foods or skipping breakfast can turn into habits that can negatively impact your health, such as unwanted weight gain or diabetes.

To avoid hunger pangs or overeating, prioritize eating at consistent times during the day. This can help you feeling more energized throughout the day. and sleeping better at the end of your day.

The following ideas below can help with consistent eating schedule:
 
-setting a regular sleep schedule
-limiting caffeine consumption
-not skipping meals
-limiting sugary food intake
– avoid eating meals close to bed time

What are some tips and strategies you follow to  be more energized throughout the day and sleep better?

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by Meraki_Moon02

How Minimalism Has Helped Me

July 19, 2022 in Educate Yourself

My experience with minimalism has been a long one. Like most things in life, my relationship with minimalism has its ebbs and flows. There are times, where the idea of having less and focusing on what matters to you, speaks to me deeply. Other times, not so much. I want to explore and embrace identities through trying out different things.


     What I have discovered, however, is how minimalism has improved my mental health. Whenever, I implement the principle of “having less”, my brain is able to slow down, focus, and learn to enjoy things. For instance, making the effort to declutter and then organize my space, has always made me less overwhelmed afterwards. I feel a greater sense of control. I learn to have less attachment to material things.

Through this process, I was also able to discover myself and figure out what matters to me. The values, ideas, and that I most cherish. Because of this, I am able to spend more time on investing in the relationships and ideas that matter most to me. 

If you use minimalism, how has it helped improve your mental health? What challenges have you experienced with minimalism?

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by Meraki_Moon02

Always be Happy: Toxic Positivity

June 10, 2022 in Educate Yourself, LINKS

What is toxic positivity?
 Be positive! Have you ever been told to stay positive, and everything will work itself out? It could feel like your whole world is falling apart, and you’re in the depths of despair, but you must keep it together. After all, other people have it worse.

There’s a word for this: toxic positivity. According to Medicalnewstoday.com, toxic positivity is defined as an obsession with positive thinking. A belief that no matter how tragic the experience, people should have positive spin on the situation.

Examples of everyday toxic positivity:

-If you are experiencing depression, you get told to just think positive and get over it.

  • “It could always be worse”
  • “There are people in parts of the world, who are starving and dying. What do you have to complain about?”
  • Championing resilience, but never questioning why resilience was needed in the first place
  • “Stay strong” when losing someone close to you
  • “Everything happens for a reason”

Why is toxic positivity problematic?

When people say, “Be positive”, it is most likely coming from a good place. They did not mean harm, but it can harmful. It places added pressure on you to avoid or ignore the negative emotions you are experiencing and move on.

It may cause social isolation, as you may feel that you are unable to receive emotional support or seek mental health treatment. A sense of failure can develop affecting your self-esteem.

Being unable to process negative emotions, can manifest in worsening physical or mental health. It can also worsen your personal relationships.

How to combat toxic positivity?
 Fortunately, there are a few strategies to combat toxic positivity culture:

-Allowing yourself and others to feel negative emotions
-Talking with a trusted person about your negative emotions
-Journaling
-Actively listening and being kind to others
-Creating a safe space for yourself and others to experience negative emotion
-Taking time to rest
-Seeking mental health treatment or counseling, if needed

How do you deal with negative emotions? What do you say to someone when they are having a hard time?

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by Meraki_Moon02

Coloring Books: A Stress Reliver

June 9, 2022 in Educate Yourself

In my self-care journey, I have explored many self-care activities to find what works for me, like spending time outdoors, talking to a trusted friend about a problem, a spa day, reading, or just alone time. Some are a little bit costly (getting a facial or my nails don), and other activities are totally free (reading outside, walking, or meditating). I have also discovered certain activities, such as meditation, do not work for me as I can’t stop thinking and does not keep me occupied.

     What does keep my mind occupied is spending time coloring in coloring books. On the surface, it sounds very juvenile, but spending time coloring allows you to reduce stress and improve your focus because your brain is allowed to relax and focus on the task at hand, creating a meditative state. I have this to be very true. Because my mind is focused on making sure to color within the lines, I cannot think about anything else.

  I find coloring books or even paint-by-numbers to be preferable since I do not consider myself very artistic or skilled in any way. I often get intimidated by a blank page. I think coloring books are a great alternative for me.

      Do you find coloring books to be helpful stress relievers? What  activities do you find to be stress- relievers?

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by Meraki_Moon02

Compassion Fatigue in the 24 Hour News Cycle

May 11, 2022 in Educate Yourself, Social Media Guide

I feel like every day I learn about another new tragedy in the world. Often, it’s horribly sad, wrong, and immoral that this is happening, but it happens anyway. The mainstream news channels will cover this incident within the 24-hour news cycle or until something else comes along. Ultimately, we will forget and move on with our lives.

I want to feel anger, outrage, and anguish for all these horrible things, but I don’t think I can or am capable doing such a thing anymore. I think I have what they call “compassion fatigue”.

 

Compassion fatigue is characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion leading to diminished ability to empathize or feel compassion for others. It is also referred to as a secondary stress reaction.

I feel that I have stretched myself too thin. Feeling constantly exposed to human tragedy is tiring, especially when I cannot do anything to make it better. It makes you feel useless. As much as I want to learn and stay aware of what is going on in the world, I have learned to limit the amount of time I spend scrolling or watching the news. If I feel strongly about an issue, I try to do a call to action, such as signing a petition, donating, or volunteering with a non-profit relating to the issue. This at least makes me feel I am play small part in making the world a better place.

Have you heard or experienced compassion fatigue before? What are some ways that help you prevent compassion fatigue?

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by Meraki_Moon02

Be More Productive

April 20, 2022 in Educate Yourself

It always seems like there is a never-ending to-do list. This list can be memorialized in your mind palace, various techy gadgets, or on paper. We all need this list to keep track of our many tasks and obligations related to school, work, family, and friends. Sometimes, it can feel good to always have something to work on or even to look forward to. I always feel a sense of accomplishment when an item is checked off my to-do list. While it gives me the motivation to keep pushing forward, this can become excessive and detrimental if I do not set boundaries.

Working myself this way led to burnout that manifested itself in various mental and physical symptoms, such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, and irritability. Realizing that I no longer want to feel this way, I found more effective ways to manage my productivity effectively without compromising my well-being.

Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned over the years that have led me to be more productive:

  • Taking regularly scheduled breaks for rest. You are more productive if you are well-rested.
  • Acknowledge the to-do list will never end. Do not try and complete everything on your to-do list. Instead focus on completing 3 or 4 big things that you need to for today.
  • Start early. Give yourself enough time by starting your task early or showing up earlier for things. Giving yourself enough wiggle room allows you flexibility and eases your mind. This is especially applicable for school and work-related deadlines.
  • Clean your space. The old saying, “a cluttered space is a cluttered mind” is very accurate. Having your desk littered with unnecessary junk can be distracting and overwhelming. Taking a few minutes to straighten up your space can help clear your mind.
  • Learn to prioritize. As mentioned, you cannot do everything. You can only spin so many plates (work, friends, family, etc.) at one time, and you may have to let something go. You may disappoint someone by saying no, but it’s better than disappointing yourself when all the spinning plates fall.
  • Follow a routine. A routine provides comfort by reducing your anxiety and gives you a safe space to build habits. Most importantly, it can help you gain confidence to accomplish the rest of your to-do list.

Have you experienced burnout by trying to be too productive? What are your tips to be more productive? How can you take care of yourself while having a busy schedule?

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by Meraki_Moon02

Stop and Smell the Roses

February 28, 2022 in Be Positive

Sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves. We often get so caught up in our everyday lives and pouring ourselves into others that we neglect ourselves. This neglect can lead to burn out and worsen our overall mental health and relationships. If we don’t show up for ourselves, how can we show up for others?

With this said, we have to learn to take time for ourselves and slow down to smell the roses. What do I mean by “smell the roses”? Taking the time to rest and partake in activities that bring us joy and fill our souls.

Here are a few activities I have found to be personally beneficial:

  • Stop and Do Nothing – Although this may seem like a no-brainer, allowing your body and mind to rest and doing nothing of consequence is incredibly rejuvenating. You can sleep in all day or spend all day lying in the sun at the beach.
  • Spend Time Outdoors – Being outdoors whether it’s drinking coffee on the patio or taking a walk or run while your body soaks in the vitamin D can change your whole mood and turn you into a new person.
  • Do Something You Like – As we get lost in the hustle and bustle of life, we tend to forget to do the things that bring us joy. Cooking a new recipe, re-reading your favorite book, or painting are just a few examples.
  • Talk to Someone – Catching up with an old friend you haven’t spoken to in a while or venting to your mom about the daily grind is guaranteed to lift your soul up. It is not uncommon for us to despair in our problems. Taking the time to reach out to somebody and talking through your problem is incredibly helpful. Being able to articulate your thoughts and feelings to another person is freeing and validating when that person person acknowledges your hardship.
  • Volunteer – Taking the time out of your day to volunteer for a cause you support will fill you with a sense of altruism and accomplishment. It can be an especially nice feeling when you connect with like-minded people over a common goal, such as animal conservation or supporting an arts program.

How do you take time for yourself? Do you find it difficult to stop and smell the roses in the busy world that we live in? What activities do you do like to do or can you do when you need to stop and smell the roses?

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