SOVA Blog

by red9995

Wasted Time: Take a Break!

January 6, 2020 in Be Positive

Last semester was a long semester. It proved to be daunting and challenging, with the feeling of being overwhelmed constantly looming overhead. Due dates, part-time job, eating healthy – all of these things add up being a burden on our mental health.

This semester, I learned that it is important to take a break. Learn when it’s the right time to take a step back and be yourself again.

I love music and I love playing music. Early in the semester, I would spend hours playing the guitar along to some of my favorite songs. Once I got to the dreaded midterms, when I would sit down to play music, I felt guilty! Surely, I should be studying instead of wasting away hours playing guitar.

However this isn’t the case. There’s a quote that’s often credited to John Lennon and many others that states: “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time” (the original author of this quote is allegedly Marthe Troly-Curtin).

When we’re pursuing our goals, getting an education, working, etc., we often forget to take time out to do the things we enjoy, but it’s important to do those things. It’s important for your mental health to have fun from time to time. Step away from the chaos and structure that’s pulling you down and just have a little fun. Just don’t get carried away and ignore your responsibilities.

Take a break! You’ve earned it.

If you’re interested on the origins of the quote, more on that here: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/06/11/time-you-enjoy/

What are some of your hobbies? When do you do them? How do you feel when doing them?

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by red9995

Oranges for Anxiety

October 16, 2019 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

The past few weeks have been particularly rough for me in regards to my anxiety. I’ve been experiencing a range of slight nervousness to full on panic attacks. You probably have had similar experiences. In the middle of a panic attack, it’s difficult to stay grounded and rationalize your behavior. It can be extremely difficult to become aware of your emotions and control them.

You may have heard of the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1“ technique. This technique encourages sufferers of anxiety to become more aware of their surroundings. The technique is as follows:

Step 1: Identify 5 things you can see. Look around and pick things you can see. Take a moment to focus on the detail of these things.

Step 2: Identify 4 things you can hear. This can be your foot tapping on the ground, an air conditioning unit, etc.

Step 3: Identify 3 things you can feel. The texture of your shirt, your feet against your shoes, etc.

Step 4: Identify 2 things you can smell. This can be the smell of the room, the smell of your clothes, or even your deodorant if you’ve run out of options!

Step 5: Identify 1 thing you can taste. This one can be tricky…

During an appointment with a counselor this week, my counselor recommended carrying oranges or clementines to assist with this technique. 

“Oranges?” you say. Yes, oranges. Oranges can help with identifying several of the things listed above. You can SEE its bright, orange color. You can scratch the skin and HEAR it. You can FEEL it. You can certainly SMELL it. Lastly, it’s something portable that you can TASTE.

In the event that you don’t like oranges, you can alternatively use something like a stick of gum. 

If you suffer from anxiety, give this a try! Even if you don’t have an anxiety symptoms, you’ll at least have a healthy snack!

Have you ever tried this method? What kinds of things ground you when you’re feeling anxious?

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by red9995

It’s OK to cry!

September 9, 2019 in Be Positive

As a new school year begins, things are already hectic. Where are my classes? Will my books be expensive? Are my teachers understanding? The questions race by faster than I can handle, and just because the school year is starting doesn’t mean that my other problems just go away.

So I sat down and cried.

In that moment, I felt a great release from all of the stress I was carrying and I just let it flow out. Although crying doesn’t solve my problems or make school any less stressful, it is helpful. It allows me to stop and remember that I am human and things get hard sometimes.

It is okay to cry sometimes. In fact, I would say it’s necessary to cry sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with crying regardless of gender, race, age, etc. Sometimes you just have to throw up your hands and let the tears do their work.

Personally, for me, crying is a way to disconnect from the “real world” and reconsider my priorities. Don’t look at crying as a negative thing! It can be very beneficial and help you find your balance in an unbalanced world.

Next time you feel like you’re holding it in, remember that it’s okay to cry. Cry to yourself, cry to others, cry for help, cry just for the sake of crying. Just make sure that you do cry, because you’ve earned it.

Do you cry often? When was the last time that you cried? How does it feel when you do?

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by red9995

Self-Confidence and The Iceberg Theory

August 29, 2019 in Social Media Guide

Acoustic Guitar Playing. Men Playing Acoustic Guitar Closeup Photography.

As I scroll through Instagram, I see amazing musicians on tour and playing complex songs. As a musician myself, I ask why I can’t do what they do. Why aren’t I as talented? Why aren’t I as successful? Maybe you’ve been in this position with your own success.

As we spend time on social media, it’s easy to get caught in this trap. We look at other people’s success and wonder why we aren’t where they are. It’s terrible for our self-confidence yet we do it anyway.

Someone wise once told me about the unofficial “Iceberg Theory.” With an iceberg, a peak sits above the water and sailors in the water can only see the peak. What sailors can not see is the mass of ice under the water that is connected to the peak. Social media can also act in this way.

When you see someone that you view as successful on social media, you’re only seeing the tip of their iceberg. You don’t see the hours and days of dedication that got them to where they are. Many of those hours very well could have included struggle, frustration, or maybe even depression.

If you struggle with this, you may want to “unplug” from social media for a while. It can be helpful to take a step back from social media so that you don’t continue to damage your self confidence. Everyone has there own pace in life, and just because you haven’t reached your goals doesn’t mean you never will.

So next time you see someone on social media and you ask yourself why you’re not good enough, remember that you’re only seeing the tip of their iceberg. Don’t let the tip of someone else’s iceberg be the reason that yours starts to melt!

Have you ever compared yourself to others online? What kinds of thing do you find yourself comparing yourself to?

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