Living a Stress-free Life(Or at least trying to)

     There is always a ton of pressure put on us at any given time. When we are in school, we are expected to excel in our academic life, extracurricular life etc. After graduating, we expect to find the "dream job", which let's be honest is extremely difficult in today's world. When we are in the workforce, we are always expected to go above and beyond in our job. It can really be taxing, mentally and physically, trying to plan for the future or just trying to live our day-to-day life without going broke (or crazy, whichever comes first).

     I personally have a bad habit of giving myself too much stress. I stress out about the future, my life etc. In order to calm myself down and distract myself from all my problems, I have had to come up with some ways to live a relatively stress-free life.

Practice yoga.

Not only has yoga improved my posture, it really has taught me to relax and be more calm. Give yourself an hour every morning before going to work to practice some yoga. A lot of times, in life we cannot control what circumstances we will go through. Instead stressing about what might happen, or what has happened in the past, it is important to look forward and stop stressing out. What is meant to happened, will happen.

Be positive.

Being positive really works wonders. No one likes being around negative people who complain about everything, but never really does anything to change their current circumstances. Complaining never solves anything. Stop complaining and take action about the situation.

Remind yourself that things will change eventually.

Nothing is permanent in this world except change. If you are going through a bad phase in your life, of course you will be worried. That is normal. However, it is also important to remember that things will take a turn for the better, eventually. This does not mean, you can just expect everything to be handed to you. You still need to work hard and put effort in improving your situation.

Read more.

Not only will it distract you, you might end up learning something new which might be beneficial to you in the future. When you read, it helps you to escape the worries and stresses of your everyday life. You end up completely engrossed in the world that the author of the book has created. Reading also instantly helps to reduce your heart rate and ease tension in the muscles.

Give yourself a day off.

It is important to have some "me time" once in a while. You can treat yourself to a nice meal, go shopping, get your hair done etc. Anything that helps you to wind down and chill out.  Not only will it refresh you, it will also give you a boost. The next day, you will be ready to face any problem you have head on.

Enjoy Nature.

It is calming to go for nature walks or hikes. I like spending time in nature. It feels rejuvenating for the mind and body. Breathing the fresh air and spending time in the sun also helps you to feel better. Did you know going out in nature also helps to lower stress hormone levels?

Write. 

Sometimes it is cathartic just to write down what you are feeling. This way, you do not feel like you are just keeping all of your emotions bottled up inside you. You acknowledge your different feelings and emotions by writing them down which helps to give you a sense of relief.

10 Ways to Become a More Responsible Person

The older we get, the more responsibilities we seem to have. We have to handle our lives, our jobs, and our family and somehow manage everything to the best of our ability. It is difficult to be a responsible adult. However, nothing is impossible. Did you know it can actually negatively affect your life if you are not a responsible person?

Today we will discuss ten ways you can become a more responsible person in life.

1) Stop blaming others
It is very easy to point your fingers and blame somebody for the education or the job that you did not get. Admit you actually failed and take the time to think back about the real reason you actually failed. By looking for excuses, and shifting the blame to someone/something else you are actually being irresponsible.

2) Stop being negative
Negative thoughts tend to be overpowering. It makes us think that is impossible to achieve whatever it is that we want to achieve. Actually, it is just tends to be in our head. We can do anything once we put our mind to it. Remember impossible is nothing. Try to keep a positive attitude and with that you will start to have more positive thoughts as well.

3) Do not complain
You fill yourself with negativity if you keep complaining about everything around you. Instead of nagging and complaining about all your problems, think about ways you can solve them. It is time to stop complaining and start taking action.

4) Be on time

"Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable!" - Eric Jerome Dickey

You have to be punctual if you want to be regarded as a responsible adult. When you show up on time to an event or a meeting, you are showing the other person that you take him/her seriously and are not going to waste their time by showing up late.

5) Be organized
Plan your day out. Write down what you need to get done in the day. This will help you be organized and keep you on your toes. You can also use calendar apps and note taking apps for your convenience. By having things written down or on your phone, you can visually track your progress towards your goals and not forget anything.

6) Be consistent
Have a schedule and try to stick to it as much as possible. It helps to be organized as I mentioned above. Routine means order. Having order in your life shows that you are responsible. It shows people that they can depend on you.

7) Be self-disciplined 
"When there is a will, there is a way." -  English Proverb
Now this depends on your willpower. How determined are you to make the change in your life?  You have to push yourself to become a more responsible person. If you are determined, then you can definitely make it happen. Being self-disciplined is a learned trait which will result in you having more control over yourself.

8) Admit your mistakes
Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes in life. We have to see ourselves and recognize both the good and the bad. Try to improve yourself and make yourself a better person instead of living in denial. Do not blame others for the mistakes in your life. Be accountable for your own actions.

9) Do not procrastinate
Try not to put things off till the last moment. It just will not be your best work. It is better to make a schedule and start working on projects ahead of time. It shows that you are serious about the project you need to get done and are not just interested in getting it done just for the sake of it.

10) Plan ahead 
If you want to go backpacking in Asia, do it! Nothing is stopping you except you. This applies to anything whether it be a promotion in your job or following your dream. Stop looking for excuses and start taking action.

How to keep yourself motivated?

     It is not easy to keep yourself motivated especially if you have repeatedly been disappointed or faced failure. It is tough to keep yourself motivated during these trying times because you start having negative thoughts. You start doubting and questioning yourself. 

However, it is important that in difficult times you don't give up hope. Be patient. Everything will come at the right time. 

You might feel sorry for yourself and say 'Why did I fail that job interview? I think I did well'. That is perfectly fine, it's normal. You can introspect and think how you can improve next time. 

Nonetheless, it is important to look ahead and explore other opportunities. Maybe that job wasn't meant for you. There's always something for everyone. 

Some advise to keep yourself motivated is to be surrounded by friends and family. Your loved ones care about you and will always be encouraging.

Be positive! Having a positive mindset works wonders. If you have a negative mindset for instance, 'I think I'm going to fail so I'm not even gonna try this time in order to keep myself from getting disappointed.' You are giving up before you even try. 

Oh and last but not least, why not reward yourself when you complete your goal? This is effective in keeping you motivated because it will help in encouraging you to be  rewarded when you finally achieve your goal. This could be anything from treating yourself to a nice lunch to buying yourself something luxurious.


Remember life only moves forward not backwards.