Dealing With Stress in the Workplace
Managing stress in the workplace is something everyone has dealt with and is something that is never going to go away. You are going to get a big project to complete, your boss is going to give you unrealistic deadlines, and your outside life will affect your work life at the time. There are no stopping any of these situations with life being so unpredictable; however what you can do is control your stress levels and emotions when they arise in the workplace.
Mediating is one of the best things you to do when dealing with stress. This practice has been around for numerous amounts of years, and since day one it has allowed individuals to become more aware and less judgemental of themselves. During sessions, you get a chance to reconnect with your mind and body. This allows you to clear your thoughts and be back in the present moment.
Never meditated before? Well, you are in for a treat. Many applications on the market are for beginners such as Headspace, Calm, and the Mindfulness Application. These apps use guided meditation to tell what to do during your sessions. When starting meditation, you will find it very difficult to focus because your mind is in other places. The key is to not be judgmental and once you realize that you have drifted off during your session simply start focusing on the breath again.
Resetting your mind and emotions is an effective way to manage stress. A meditation session can be performed in as little as five minutes so do not think of it as a time-consuming task. If mediation is not for you that is completely okay, there are other alternatives, just don’t knock it before you try it. What’s important is that you find your go-to routine for dealing with stress in the workplace whether it is through mediation or another way.
Staying Inspired; Focus on What Makes You Happy
In life, in school, and in work, we all have trouble feeling inspired and motivated. Common known best practices for staying inspired day to day tend to involve making to-do lists, reflecting, learning new things, and focusing on what makes you happy. We all gotta find that niche that inspires us to keep learning and be our best self each and every day.
Julia, from the Happy in 21 team stays inspired by learning about and spending time with her reptile and animal friends! Julia works with reptiles at her job, but also looks to her pets for comfort and happiness on both good days, and bad. Studies in the United Kingdom on mental health have found that pet owners are not only twice as likely to view themselves as successful, but statistically, their animal companions provide the emotional support to lead them to be on average happier, healthier, and better adjusted.
Emotional support animals don’t always need to be fluffy like dogs and cats, but can also include less understood and intriguing animals such as reptiles, amphibians, and even invertebrates! As a society, we tend to be less in touch with nature and indoor terrariums and habitats for these interesting creatures can be an amazing way to bring a piece of nature into your home and provide the tranquility and inspiration of a walk in the woods!
Looking in her terrariums to observe her animals, learning more about their natural habitat and how they survive are the driving force that inspires Julia to do well in school, work hard at work for a future career involving animals, and continue learning to provide them with the best care they can.
What inspires you to be the best you can be, and keep smiling every day?
Jumped Out of a Perfectly Good Plane :)
When someone is asked, “what makes you feel most alive?”, the responses could be endless. Personally, I feel most alive when I try new experiences and travel to new places. One of the most alive experiences I have ever had was when I went skydiving at Skydive New England in Maine. Skydiving was like nothing I have experienced before, and got me out of my comfort zone.
I am someone who can get genuinely happy from seeing a sunset, a rainbow or a pretty view. While I was skydiving, I fell through a rainbow made in the clouds and got to see the most breathtaking view of my life. Who else can say they fell through a rainbow in the clouds?
Jumping out of a plane and free falling through the sky is not everyones cup of tea. Some others feel alive while doing less exhilarating activities. I however, needed to change up my usual adventure experiences and try something, that for some people, is a once in a lifetime activity. I plan on skydiving again, and would like to do it in a location such as Hawaii or New Zealand.
I can now say I jumped out of a perfectly good plane at 14,000 feet, which is almost 3 miles, at about 125 mph!
April Fools
April Fools Day is a special holiday. It’s the only day where messing with someone is seen as connecting with those close to you. That’s why most people only pull pranks on family and close friends on this day each year. Last year I came up with an interesting idea after looking on the internet.
My older brother and I are only a year apart so we are close. Last year I decided to take a stick of his deodorant and replace the actual deodorant with butter. The first important thing is to wait until the prankee is gone so the pranker can do their magic. I took out the actual deodorant and stuck it in a bag so it wouldn’t dry out. After than I took a stick of butter and pressed it in half way. I used a knife to carve the shape of the deodorant and replaced it. His reaction that morning was priceless.
What funny pranks have you pulled or what funny pranks have been pulled on you on April Fools Day?
Finding Your "Happy Place"
In today’s society, it is easy to find ourselves getting overwhelmed or stressed out. Regardless of the scale or root cause, it is important that we all find unique ways to cope that make us better. For me, going to the gym and training is an outlet that allows me to take my mind off of the many stressors of day to day life and focus on something positive. Dedicating time to training will not only improve your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well.
The concept of having a “happy place” revolves around having somewhere you can go to escape the anxiety and constraints of everyday life and feel completely in the moment. The beauty behind having a “happy place” is that everyone’s will be different. Recognizing what makes us happy and doing it more often can give us enjoyment, a sense of freedom, time to build new or existing relationships, and opportunities to find accomplishment.
The idea of having a “happy place” is more than a physical location. The goal that Happyin21 is seeking to help with is achieving this positive mindset and applying it to all aspects of your life. With the right mindset, happiness will be easier to find around you. The next time you find yourself in your “happy place”, take some time to remember how you feel in that moment. Going forward, it will be easier to tap into that happiness and let it transform your outlook on life.
