Search Results for: stress

what to say to someone with anxiety

what to say to someone with anxiety

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Do you ever wonder how to help your friend who has anxiety? Do you wish you could tell someone what YOU need when you are feeling anxious?

Supporting those who are having an anxious moment includes showing empathy, listening and acknowledging their feelings.

So next time you aren’t certain what to do, try the above approaches by @mynames_ellen.

And don’t forget about the power of hugging. Research shows that a hug can reduce anxiety by lowering the stress hormone, cortisol.

Click here to read more about the benefits of hugging. And click here for tips to overcome anxiety at night.

 

 

teen yogi

peace, health, happiness & yoga, by LT

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This article is written for yooou! by 16-year-old, LT.

My name is Layla, aka LaylaTheYogi on Youtube. I have been a synchronized swimmer, a kickboxer, a dancer, a soccer player and more but the one thing that remained constant in my life was YOGA. My practice has never failed me and continues to grow on and beyond the mat. Since I was eight years old I’ve been practicing Yoga and have not stopped since and am now a Yoga Teacher in Training.

Would you trust a teenager to give you the best yoga or meditation class?  Probably not, but you’d be pretty surprised at what I’ve learnt and experienced throughout my 16 years, time in high school and from my fitness and yoga journey.

When I entered high school I did not expect to experience post breakup depression, addiction, losing my health, true self and being around the wrong crowd. We had valued being, looking and doing everything perfectly and to seem as “normal” or popular as possible. In this pursuit, I lost sight of who I truly was and what really made me HAPPY inside!

2020 has brought many challenges and has made our #teenmentalhealth crisis larger. Which is why I created my youtube and meditation classes during covid. I got SO MANY responses from TEENS and friends saying that they had struggled with their mental health in silence and that my Yoga channel and Health and Fitness story had inspired them and they are now doing meditation and yoga as much as possible to relieve stress and bring them back to being their real, most motivated and healthiest selves!

Don’t be afraid to reach out and bring forth the talents, health and mental joy that is WITHIN You!! Who cares what other people think, start becoming your very best self and NEVER LOOK BACK! You can be the change you want to see in your life. You are unique. You are a strong and have a purpose that no one else has!

As always, peace, health and happiness!

To follow Layla, go to her Instagram account @laylatheteenyogi.

To get a breathing technique to use during stressful times, read her post on our Instagram @yooou.life.

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workout week 1

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Staying at home does not mean staying still. During times of crisis, exercise should be a priority. Why, you ask? Oh, there are many reasons but some of the highlights are:

  • IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. Exercise increases your endorphins. Those are your body’s natural “happy” chemicals that create feelings of joy, give you energy and reduce anxiety and depression.

 

  • IT REDUCES CORTISOL, THE “STRESS HORMONE”. When you produce too much cortisol, there are many negative reactions that can happen to your physical and emotional self. But exercise helps reduce cortisol levels, therefore, reducing mental, emotional and physical stress on the body.

 

  • IT INCREASES SELF CONFIDENCE. By pushing yourself to do a workout, or even get off the couch, you will feel accomplished and proud of your successes big and small. As you see yourself get stronger and more capable, you will also see your overall confidence increase.

 

  • IT HELPS CLEAN OUT YOUR PORES. When you sweat, your pores open which can help clear them of built up grime. (But don’t forget to wash off the sweat, especially on your face, because letting it sit on your skin for a prolonged period of time actually has negative effects).

 

For the month of April, we will be posting a workout designed by our favorite personal trainer, Dallas-based, Angie Russell. Each workout is adaptable to different levels of fitness, as well as adjustable if you have a weakness that you need to avoid, such as a sore knee. Please consult a doctor or professional if you are uncertain about your body’s abilities or limitations.

WEEK 1:

Notes: This workout is not timed, but you can add some time limits for an added challenge. This is a format called circuit training, which means you will do several exercises in a row and then repeat them.

 

Warm up:  Walk or jog for at least 5-10 minutes

 

Repeat the following exercises 2 times in this order:

15 walking lunges

10 push ups on knees or feet

15 squats

10 sit ups

 

Repeat the following exercises 2 times in this order:

15 squat jumps (keep your chest tall!)

15 plank knee twists

15 jumping switch foot lunges, each leg (modifications include low impact or no impact)

15 one-leg bridges with one leg crossed over the other, each leg

 

Repeat the following exercises 2 times in this order:

15 single leg Bulgarian split squats

15 chair/bench triceps dips

15 back extensions

 

Cool Down Stretches:

  • Hamstring stretch – Lie on your back, leg extends into the air, pull it towards your face from above knee
  • Hip/low back stretch – Lie on your back, twist on leg across your body to form a 90 degree angle; do on both sides
  • Quad stretch – Standing, pull your foot back to your glutes; do both sides
  • Standing side body stretch – Lift arms over your head then grab opposite wrist and bend to side
  • Chest stretch – Standing in the doorway, make goalpost arms and then lean into doorway….lead with chest, not hips

For any questions, comment below. Click here to meet Angie. She is available for personal consultations, contact her: russell.angie@sbcglobal.net

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it’s, like, just a word

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Why do we say “like” so much? Is it true that teen girls say it more than boys? Are we ruining our language?

Canadian linguist, Alexandra D’Arcy, says that there are 6 forms of the word “like”. There is the commonly-practiced verb and adjective, “I like you” and “You are sweet like candy”.

Then there are 2 ways that “like” can be used as a filler word – “Like, I’ve been waiting for you” and “There is like, nothing left to say”. Those “likes” can be replaced with other fillers such as “well” or “ummmm”.

The last 2 types of uses are often referred to as “Valley Girl Speak” or “Mall Talk”. An uptick in these uses can be seen starting in the 1980s and continues through today. “It was like, so cool” or “I’ve been doing this for like, 2 years” are examples.

Apparently using the word “like” is not new. It has been used in literature since Old English times. And although we think the “Valley Girl” usage started in the 80s, it actually started in the later half of the eighteenth century. And it is not only girls that speak this way.

D’Arcy says that “like” is the most versatile word in the English language and that we should cut it some slack. So when your mom tells you that you are using “like” too often, maybe you can do some research to prove that at least one person out there thinks that using “like” is ok.

But in the meantime, chances are that you ARE using the word too often. Some say that using “like” too much makes you sound less intelligent. Who wants that?! So, if your mom or teacher is asking you to use it less often, there are a few of tricks you can try. Most importantly, be aware when you speak AND use Wikihow’s 3 ways to reduce the use of the word.

  1. Try to use another word when making approximations. So instead of saying, “She was like, 100 years old,” you could say, “She was around 100 years old.”
  2. When you tell a story, try not to use “like” before you quote someone. Instead replace it with a more descriptive word. So instead of saying, “He was like, “I really like you,” you could say, “He whispered, “I really like you.”
  3. Just take it out of the sentence. Often the word “like” is used to emphasize a point, but if it is taken out, the sentence sounds the same. And if you need more emphasis, you can stress another word. Take the sentence, “My dad was like, so mad at me”, you could say “My dad was SO mad at me” and it has the same effect.

Like, try it and see how it goes…

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hold that hug

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Hugging creates builds trust, creates connection and leads to strong friendship bonds.

By giving your bestie a big bear hug, you are saying, “I trust you” and “you can trust me.” After all, an embrace is basically sharing your personal space while you’re in someone else’s personal space. That kind of trust has physical and emotional benefits.

Feeling bummed out? Find your best buds and hug ‘em! Hugging boosts the hormone oxytocin, which increases your energy and happiness levels. Feeling more positive can get you through a tough situation. That energy can also help you stay productive during a long school day.

Hugging builds connection and strong social bonds. When you hug your friends, you create a safe place through a simple act of affection. This relieves stress and anxiety, creates connection, and strengthens your bond.

It’s comforting to have someone to hug when you need it most. And also nice to know that YOU have the power to make someone’s day with one simple action. Who knew that a hug was so valuable?

grandparents

call your grandparents

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Your grandparents are special people. They know where you come from and might be able to help with where you are going. And they would love to hear from you right now so give them a call!

They know what it’s like to be your age, (and they’ve lived to tell about it!) Okay, so they may not exactly know who Beyonce is, and probably don’t own Post Malone’s new one on vinyl. They can still give you advice and are great listeners, so give it a shot! If you need a conversation-starter, ask your grandparents how they handled a stressful school situation when they were your age. Or ask for advice on how to help a troubled friend. Your grandparents’ wisdom can give you a positive outlook on a difficult situation.

They hold the keys to your family history and are great storytellers. Got questions? They’ve got answers! Grandparents know your family history so try asking what your parents were like as teenagers. Or maybe you’d like to know about their first date? Need an interesting topic for an essay? Try asking about world events that happened when they were young. They can give you lots of great information and often a firsthand account of events. And don’t forget to ask about your ancestry and your roots. The answer could give you a new perspective on the world.

By calling your grandparents once a week, you’ll get some great advice, learn something new, and keep them up-to-date. If you don’t have grandparents, call a “grand-friend.” Grand-friends are older family members or friends who have their own wonderful stories to share. Grandparents or grand-friends – they would love to hear from you today.