“Congrats! You’re in your mid-20s.”
“Welcome to your quarter-life crisis.”
Familiar with the statements? Yup. They usually happened to most of us in the middle or even early 20s? Hehe. What about late 20s? Are you facing a quarter-life crisis that seems stressful?
Stress is one of the natural responses of people whenever they feel uncomfortable. Stress is defined as people facing and struggling with uncertainty in their life. As American Psychological Association says, “stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning.”
I realize that 20s is the age where we face many problems in life. Insecurity is quite popular as the most often-discussed topic, especially during this pandemic. What does insecurity mean? Feeling less than others, and one single failure could sound like: it’s the end of the world, “Oh no!”, worrying about the future (love-life, self-improvement, career, financial stability…etc.), or being afraid that the society would not accept the way you are.
It’s not an easy peasy thing to handle stress feelings, but how could I approach stress in a healthy way? Here are some steps for you to take:
1. Take a deep breath
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius”
Some research found that taking a deep breath helps to reduce your pressure in a moment. We cannot deny that if in a sudden we feel panic or stress, it cannot be controlled completely. All you can do instead is stay relaxed, focus, take a deep breath, count on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and release your breath. After you feel good, repeat it several times until you really feel relaxed enough. Make sure to find a place that makes you comfortable and quiet, and you are to be in the sit down position and yes, wearing a comfortable shirt. This is what I do almost every morning after waking up! Even sometimes after taking one deep breath, I feel calm and mindful.
2. Do Some Traveling
“On vacation, I totally unplug. I don’t bring a laptop with me.”. – Will Wright
Many people might know that traveling is one of the best methods to release stress. You can bring focus on your surroundings, enjoying the moment rather than focusing on your laptop. Yup! This method has helped me a lot! I have found more peace when I travel to new places. I find myself refreshed and recharged again.
Why is traveling one of the ways to release my stress? Going to new places gives your mind a refreshment, and looking on something new makes your body excited because you have not found something like that before. You also don’t have to travel to a luxurious destination. Simply by visiting the zoo, a park around your city, or virtual traveling can be a good option.
3. Do Some Writing
“Releasing your stress by writing your thoughts” – Diana Rabb
Since the world is facing a pandemic, many people are starting to write. Releasing stress through writing is one of the easiest ways to release your anxiety because you can optimize your power or energy through words. Somehow it becomes the proof of how you survived yourself! You can use many methods of journaling in your diary, essays about your life journey, creative writing, and even a caption on your Instagram feed! I personally love to write my thoughts on my mini yearly agenda and chalkboard. I have been doing these things since elementary school, and I really love to see my own reflections through words. Words are powerful and can energize you to be on fire again!
4. Listening to music
“Music is the best solution to any” -Anonymous
Music is one of the stress management skills every person should absolutely do. Based on Chopra’s article about body and health, listening to music can switch the stress response to “off” and help your mind and emotions recover from stress faster than they would without music. Even some people choose music as a therapy approach. You can listen to music while doing any activities such as cooking, studying, eating or even cleaning your house! It boosts up your mood for sure. Singing karaoke or shouting is also a great way to release tension!
Sources:
- American Psychological Association Official Website. “Stress relief is within reach”. 2020. ,https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/
- Chopra Official Website. “How Music Relieves Stress and Helps You Relax”. 2019, ,https://chopra.com/articles/how-music-relieves-stress-and-helps-you-relax
Written by: Alia Silooy