mental health

Creating a Gratitude Journal

Posted on by Olivia Meier

Journal

Through the hustle and bustle of everyday life – between work, school, internships, and trying to have an amazing summer – it’s easy to lose focus and take the little things for granted. With creating a gratitude journal, anyone can easily add a little positiveness to each day. Having trouble getting started? Here are a few tips.

Find a Notebook You Love

This may sound silly, but it is vital. Search for a notebook that shows off your style; one that generates happy thoughts. You can also buy a blank notebook and create your own cover similar to an inspiration board. This is something you can be creative with because it’s all about you. It’s important to have a notebook that you won’t mind carrying around with you or having on your bedside table. You will encounter it a lot – so make sure you like it.

How Much Time to Spend

Writing in your journal everyday is ideal for beginners. This will help kick-off your positive lifestyle and make it easier to adjust to writing about yourself in a journal. Most people advise to write 5-10 things you’re grateful for a day – which is a great guideline – but if some days you have less than five and others you have more than 10, that’s perfectly fine. No two days are the same, therefore you shouldn’t restrict your amount of grateful moments.

Be Specific

When it comes to writing down your ideas, it’s easiest to use bullet points. This breaks up your thoughts and makes them easier to comprehend when you go back and read your entries. However, be specific with your bullet points. Don’t just say that you’re grateful for your job – provide a detailed example. Like that you’re grateful for your job because it’s payday, or you’re grateful for it because it’s brought you great coworkers that cheered you up today. Being specific will pay off when you reminisce on your memories.

Nothing is Unimportant and Keep the Negative Out

If you are grateful for the amazing sandwich you had for lunch, or for the lady who held the door for you at the local coffee shop – write it down. This helps you find positive moments in every situation. And of course, any negative thoughts you have throughout the day do not belong in this journal. This is specifically for happy and grateful thoughts or memories!

If you’re looking for a new way to find joy in every situation, try a gratitude journal. It helps you focus on the little things that make every day great, and it’s a creative way to keep track of your thoughts.

Dear College Students, It’s Okay to Seek Help

Posted on by Julia Aldrich

college students seek help

Dear fellow college students,

Now is about the time when you’re all settled in your college courses. You are studying for exams and you’ve spent numerous hours completing assignments and doing homework. Ironically, as the days gradually grow shorter, our own days feel much longer. The stress of college, from our current social lives, to our grades, and to our looming futures, sometimes feels unbearable. Managing ourselves to be productive and successful individuals can strain us mentally and physically. As the semester goes forward, often times stress piles up and we feel exhausted and drained. Come finals, many people, myself included, have suffered immensely.  This takes an extensive toll on anyone’s well-being. I’m here to tell you that you are never alone!

We’re primed and taught to persevere through tough times as students. All-nighters fueled by coffee and Redbull are considered the “norm”. We’re taught to put school before everything else, our own selves included. However, with this mindset of allowing ourselves to suffer for school’s sake, our mental health is at risk.

According to statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 1 in 3 college students have suffered from depression and about 50% of college students rated their mental health as “poor”. These alarming statistics paint a terrifying portrait of the struggles that college students suffer every semester. College is supposed to be a positive experience to grow as intellectuals and as people, so why are we allowing ourselves to suffer?

Experiencing mental health deficits from overworking myself in school is something I have experienced and it has taught me one very important lesson: never think that you’re alone.

Many schools offer at least some form of counseling for their students at no extra cost. Although seeking help from a professional seems daunting, it can be really helpful. A trained counselor is likely well rehearsed in how to combat mental health issues brought on by school related stress. Therefore, through seeking help, a counselor can not only provide insight, but they can also validate your struggles.

Counseling isn’t the only way to seek help. Talking to a friend or a family member is really helpful as well. Having our feelings heard and having a support system reminds us that we’re not alone. Sometimes it’s difficult to talk about what we’re going through for many different reasons, like feeling like our struggles are trivial. Luckily, that’s what friends and family are for.

College is difficult, but it doesn’t have to take a toll on your well-being. On top of seeking help, make sure to take time to take care of yourself. Take breaks when you’re feeling overwhelmed, eat well and exercise regularly. Call your family and hang out with friends when you’re feeling sad. Whatever makes you happy- take time to do it. Yes, school is important, but your health and well being always should be top priority.

I cannot speak for everyone, but I can say that if you’re willing to seek help, it’s available in some form. Never brush your feelings off as insignificant and always, always keep hopeful!

Do you deal with these feelings brought on by the stress of school? How do you cope or seek help? Drop us a comment below.