This is the time of year to find gratitude, give thanks, find peace on earth. But sometimes finding that peace within is the biggest challenge. 

‍

It is important that we remember not to let technological communication completely replace social bonding, interpersonal relationships, and in-person encounters with others. Social interaction enables the opportunity to learn from others, gain a new perspective on various situations, and can help us focus on our life goals and values in effective ways.

‍

Being able to acknowledge the things that cause us stress is extremely important.  When we are able to identify these triggers, we can try to deal with them in a productive way, instead of letting these situations control us.

‍

What is more important, is how we view ourselves and our level of self-respect.

Creativity is innate in each of us and can be expressed in a variety of ways.  When you find yourself allowing your mental health to get the best of you, take control.

‍

Not knowing your very next move in life is OKAY.  In fact, it's more than okay….it's quite normal and allows you to take on opportunities with an open mind, rather than being closed off to certain situations you may think are not suited for you.  

‍

Never let someone make you feel as if your emotions are invalid.  Expressing emotion is essential for self growth, making positive life changes, and acknowledging the things we need and desire in life.

‍

Have you ever been called ‘weird’ or ‘different’, has anyone ever told you that the way you dress is ‘odd’ or ‘strange’, or that the activities you enjoy are ‘unusual’ or ‘atypical’?  Chances are, we have all encountered someone that considers some part of us to be odd or abnormal.  But when we really think about it, who is to say what “normal” is?

‍

Anxiety. What exactly is it? Why do some people feel it more often than others? How can you control it when you feel it taking over your life?

‍

Do you ever feel alone? Completely by yourself? Yet you look around and are surrounded by so many people? This poem is meant to depict those feelings we may experience when we are alone: misunderstood, unwanted, or as if we don’t fit in.  Everyone feels these things at some point in their life, but what we rarely acknowledge is that these feelings often result from a distortion in how we think others perceive us.  

‍

If I was to highlight one of the biggest problems of the 2019 pandemic, it would be mental health struggles. I've heard of so many individuals struggling, and I myself have even suffered significantly because of Covid-19. 

‍

In May 2021, I lost my sister Heather to suicide. Just a few days before her birthday, she was well on her way to turning 27.

I once watched a Youtube video about a guy who spent an entire week in Virtual Reality (VR). 

My grandpa once told me, "If you have a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life."

‍

There is something about having to make a choice, and coming to a decision that can be a strong source of anxiety and stress in our lives.

‍

We are often told we shouldn’t hold grudges against others, that it’s best to forgive and move on. Forgiveness isn’t always easy to give to others, and even harder to give to ourselves. Mistakes or bad decisions in life are inevitable, and yes, we all make them.

‍

The Alonesy app is a simple and helpful app that allows anybody to easily sign up and engage with the Alonesy mentorship program. 

‍

There are few things more debilitating than loneliness.  Life is never a straight path, and the trials and tribulations that make us swerve and stall can seem daunting, especially when it feels like we are walking in isolation. 

‍

You’ve undoubtedly heard of positive affirmations at some point, whether you use them already or perhaps not. The simplest definition of positive affirmations is that they are uplifting phrases or statements you say to yourself to help combat any negative, unkind, or unhelpful thoughts. These may not seem like they can actually be helpful or impactful, but they are.

‍

"In owning the parts of me that I so badly wanted to ignore and hide, I've dismantled the shame I've held for years, and began building self acceptance for myself in its place." 

‍

Messiness and disorganization is detrimental to a positive mental health journey. We’ve all been bombarded with endless tasks needing to be finished, yet they never do.

‍

Anger is everywhere. It shows itself when you’re yelling at a coworker or saying spitting words you don’t mean, but it can also be triggered by the smallest of things when we are stressed. It can feel as if we are a ticking time bomb, unable to defuse ourselves.

‍

Have you ever noticed how we tend to fixate on the one bad thing that happened throughout our day, yet ignore the dozen other things that were good? We pay far more attention to negative events that happen to us than positive ones.

‍

Whether you are in school, working a job, volunteering, taking care of your siblings, something different, or some crazy combination of one or more of the above tasks, chances are you're no stranger to stress.

‍

Mental health is a topic that is coming more and more into the contemporary focal point. Emotions that affect us negatively are both pervasive and persistent in the lives of individuals everywhere; we all feel sad, just as we all feel happy.  

‍

Sometimes we overwork ourselves with the amount of activities we participate in.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning, and the last thing you do before you go to bed at night? If you answered, “Scroll through my phone and check my Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat'' then you’re probably not alone.

‍

We’ve all seen it. Parents telling their little boys to “be a man” and suck it up. Not only is this incredibly dehumanizing, but it’s toxic in the long run.

‍

In the time before COVID, most people would regularly engage with others face to face.  I used to hang out with friends and visit family, then when we weren’t together, I would chat over text or another form of mobile communication.  

‍

Through the majority of my adolescent years, my self-esteem and confidence were about the size and strength of a toothpick.

‍

Anxiety finds its way in every crevice of my life. It started with general uneasiness around large crowds, then escalated to panic attacks in my sophomore year of high school.

‍

One of the most difficult pills we have to swallow, is to accept that there are some things we cannot change. For example, when we try so hard to help someone else, especially someone close to us, and that help goes ignored.

‍

I have secluded myself inside of a “bubble” my entire life. At first, this played into being an introvert. Not being a strong verbal communicator made me uncomfortable in group settings. I never knew what to say until the moment was already over.

‍

It’s the last week of the semester and you can feel the stress in the air. On top of final tests, professors ask for 10 page co-authored research papers and half a soul-worth of presentations.

‍

At work, my manager was having trouble bringing in new employees from Indeed. For some time, he had to work his current employees triple shifts and struggled to take care of the elderly residents. He was listing the job role as a Dining Room Server.

‍