GUNIT: G U

o easy on yourself. There’s no need to rush things, for life is not a race, but don’t be careless. Take yourself slowly and precisely as you are. You can still reach and achieve your goals whatever process you are in. One thing is sure: taking a small step is also a process. Consider making a flower out of brown mud clay, pressing and molding it to perfection. If you squeeze the flower hard, the tendency will be reformed and changed, not to the standard form you desire, but to the damaged one. On the other hand, carelessly holding the flower will also cost you. Parker-Pope suggested in his study that giving ourselves a break and accepting our flaws may be the first step toward better health. So, please be gentle with yourself. When the time is right, and you prepare mindfully, things will eventually fall into place.

nwind and meditate. Take a deep breath. Cleanse your mind. Think of peace. Give yourself time to heal from this painful world. Go to a place where nature sings peacefully and breathe fresh air. In one study conducted by researchers Teresa Edenfield and Sy Saeed on Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBIs), psychological distress, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, worry, and anger, is lower in lever when cultivating greater attention, awareness, and acceptance through meditation. Be attentive to the state of your body and the situation of your physical and mental health. Accept your flaws, mistakes, and unsatisfying decisions. Through these, you can achieve peace.

Nourish your heart and mind. Our daily actions and decisions are affected by what we feel and what we think. Nourishing our minds and heart with good approaches will definitely drive us away from worrying about how our day might end. Help our mind by having less to think about to minimize and or manage stress. But, not all stress is bad, according to Strommen, a gerontology specialist. She denotes in her study that one type of stress is also called “good stress,” as it helps us inspire and motivate in a certain situation. Strommen remarks that in order to nourish our hearts and minds, we must consider practicing lifestyle behaviors: Nutrition, Physical Exercise, Sleep, Limit smoke and alcohol, and Financial Management.

Involve in socials. It may be hard to push ourselves out of our own boxes because we feel comfortable where we are, but taking a leap of faith will take you to places. Once you go beyond, you will see the infinite opportunities that await. Get involved in that opportunities. Be it a new circle or challenges, triangular laughter, or sphere or curiosity, be on it. In the study conducted by Ozbay et al., social support is necessary for maintaining physical and psychological health. We tend to create ties, and these ties give us hope that either lifts us up or brings us to a more relishing life.

Talk to someone you are comfortable wih. Experts say expressing ourselves is another way to relieve ourselves from stress and lighten the load of thoughts we are having in our minds. You will find yourself unloading heavy feelings and starts being at ease. That comfort is another way to cope with a situation you find impossible to get through. Studies by Pennebaker et al. have shown that simply talking about our problems and sharing our negative emotions with someone we trust can be profoundly healing—reducing stress, strengthening our immune system, and reducing physical and emotional distress. Talk, even if no one responded. We never know, a small talk can save our lives.