Self-Care Tips for Youth

This blog is written with the hope to reach the younger generation of our population, who seem to be under a massive amount of stress and anxiety as the world continues to evolve. With the continuous advancement of technology and society, our youth are going through immense pressure to live up to the expectations and standards presented by social media or education systems. This blog will provide helpful tips to de-stress and release anxiety, by offering suggestions that focus on the well-being of one’s mental and physical health.

The first and most important tip is to carve out time for yourself and learning self-discipline. You should be sure to set aside time every day for yourself, even amid everything going on in your life and ensure this is a daily routine. Consistency is key here as it allows time for you to be at peace with yourself and focus on what you truly want to be doing, during your self-time. Now what you do during that time is completely up to you, but we can offer some suggestions that may perk your interest. The first thing we suggest is meditating, which although may sound silly or pointless, can have a lot to offer. Meditating changes the structure and function of the brain for the entire day, as you focus on what you want to complete for the day without any other distractions and can even set your mood for the rest of the day. It can reduce anxiety, depression, or stress and be done at any place or time which makes it so inviting.

Next, we suggest yoga or stretching which can improve flexibility and connect the mind and body. This can even be paired WITH meditation to experience a moment of total serenity and clarity, which once again helps with stress reduction and wellness. It is totally understandable if stretching or meditation is not for you, but you can still find this feeling elsewhere! Exercise can offer feelings of euphoria or release while helping you get physically fit, and often outdoors! It is a natural way to help decrease depression and anxiety while releasing healthy chemicals in your body.

Now we have offered several suggestions for keeping your body moving and healthy, but on the other hand it is also important to focus on the time when your body hardly moves at all! Sleep can be key in allowing your body and brain to function at its best, and most people need about 8-9 hours every night. It may be challenging to fit into a busy schedule, but the payoff is significant as sleep deprivation generally results in negative thoughts and emotions.

The final tip we have to offer for our youth, is to embrace and explore your creative and social outlets! We suggest discovering a personal creative activity that you find entertaining such as journaling, writing, poetry, painting, music, etc. which can allow you to channel emotion through the form of art. If you feel that you lack artistic ability, do not fear, as long as you still attempt these activities you will feel much better about your stress or anxiety. In relation to social outlet, we highly encourage you to meet and communicate with your friends as it will prevent burnouts and promote healthy wellbeing. Lastly, enjoy and appreciate nature as much as possible such as sunsets, scenic hikes, bike rides, or even playing in the snow! These special moments will help keep you going and remind you of why we continue to strive each and every day.