The Art of Letting Go
by Ashley Rojas, Junior, iPreparatory Academy
by Ashley Rojas, Junior, iPreparatory Academy
The minute you truly take in the fact that everything you are doing right now has an effect on the future, you realize that the wheel is in your hands. The quality of your life right now will leave an imprint on the quality of your future.
Your natural emotional state is one of peace and joy, but it’s influenced by external factors, such as friends, family, environment, school, and many other stressors. Many of us hold onto things or ideas that negatively impact our well-being. Is there a situation of issue that is affecting your emotions? Feeling this frustration is a source of inner tension, and it may be easier said than done to let go. |
School systems can be restricted and difficult because of testing, teenagers have to be more active to get into the colleges and receive the jobs of their desire, and children are not taught how to deal with stress.
There are ways of learning to let go of resistance and stress in order to restore the natural feelings of peace within your mind and soul. Here are a few recommendations that may be helpful with letting go of the tension.
There are ways of learning to let go of resistance and stress in order to restore the natural feelings of peace within your mind and soul. Here are a few recommendations that may be helpful with letting go of the tension.
According to Julie Corliss, Executive Editor for Harvard Heart Letter at Harvard Medical School, she recommends six relaxation techniques that can help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress.
1. Breath focus. In this simple, powerful technique, you take long, slow, deep breaths (also known as abdominal or belly breathing). As you breathe, you gently disengage your mind from distracting thoughts and sensations. Breath focus can be especially helpful for people with eating disorders to help them focus on their bodies in a more positive way.
2. Body scan. This technique blends breath focus with progressive muscle relaxation. After a few minutes of deep breathing, you focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time and mentally release any physical tension you feel there. A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection.
3. Guided imagery. For this technique, you conjure up soothing scenes, places, or experiences in your mind to help you relax and focus. You can find free apps and online recordings of calming scenes—just make sure to choose imagery you find soothing and that has personal significance. Guided imagery may help you reinforce a positive vision of yourself, but it can be difficult for those who have intrusive thoughts or find it hard to conjure up mental images.
4. Mindfulness meditation. This practice involves sitting comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your mind's attention to the present moment without drifting into concerns about the past or the future. This form of meditation has enjoyed increasing popularity in recent years. Research suggests it may be helpful for people with anxiety, depression, and pain.
2. Body scan. This technique blends breath focus with progressive muscle relaxation. After a few minutes of deep breathing, you focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time and mentally release any physical tension you feel there. A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection.
3. Guided imagery. For this technique, you conjure up soothing scenes, places, or experiences in your mind to help you relax and focus. You can find free apps and online recordings of calming scenes—just make sure to choose imagery you find soothing and that has personal significance. Guided imagery may help you reinforce a positive vision of yourself, but it can be difficult for those who have intrusive thoughts or find it hard to conjure up mental images.
4. Mindfulness meditation. This practice involves sitting comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your mind's attention to the present moment without drifting into concerns about the past or the future. This form of meditation has enjoyed increasing popularity in recent years. Research suggests it may be helpful for people with anxiety, depression, and pain.
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5. Yoga, tai chi, and qigong. These three ancient arts combine rhythmic breathing with a series of postures or flowing movements. The physical aspects of these practices offer a mental focus that can help distract you from racing thoughts. They can also enhance your flexibility and balance. 6. Repetitive mantra. For this technique, you silently repeat a short prayer or phrase (mantra) while practicing breath focus. This method may be especially appealing if religion or spirituality is meaningful to you. |
Additionally, we have Mental Health experts right here at iPrep! Ms. James, iPrep’s Guidance Counselor, and Ms. McIntrye, Mental Health Coordinator, both have great suggestions for overcoming stress.
Ms. James:
Ms. James explains that the first goal is to “help the student identify what their stressors are...in order to identify the key stressors to begin the work of mitigating and coping.” She believes that “the best way to manage stress is to confront it...Sometimes when we encounter stress we deflect and try everything we can to not face it, that doesn't help.”
Her suggestions on how to maintain mental health are first to “talk it out. Then, you can “create a space away from school that may include taking a walk around the neighborhood alone while listening to music, any form of exercise, honestly anything that makes you smile where you can be in solace or even if you are in the company of others they are not talking about school or any type of drama. Drawing, painting, coloring, writing, literally anything! We need our mind at peace, so that when we tackle our assignments, we can give it our all. “
Her personal way to destress, another great recommendation (exercise) is that she began “kickboxing'' a couple of years ago when I was feeling extremely stressed. An hour dedicated to my personal health allowed me to focus on something other than work and left me sore, but really energized and in a great space to tackle tasks that I needed to get done.”
Ms. James:
Ms. James explains that the first goal is to “help the student identify what their stressors are...in order to identify the key stressors to begin the work of mitigating and coping.” She believes that “the best way to manage stress is to confront it...Sometimes when we encounter stress we deflect and try everything we can to not face it, that doesn't help.”
Her suggestions on how to maintain mental health are first to “talk it out. Then, you can “create a space away from school that may include taking a walk around the neighborhood alone while listening to music, any form of exercise, honestly anything that makes you smile where you can be in solace or even if you are in the company of others they are not talking about school or any type of drama. Drawing, painting, coloring, writing, literally anything! We need our mind at peace, so that when we tackle our assignments, we can give it our all. “
Her personal way to destress, another great recommendation (exercise) is that she began “kickboxing'' a couple of years ago when I was feeling extremely stressed. An hour dedicated to my personal health allowed me to focus on something other than work and left me sore, but really energized and in a great space to tackle tasks that I needed to get done.”
Ms. McIntyre:
Ms. McIntyre explains that the first goal when meeting with a student “to understand the issues that are causing the student to be stressed and asking them what their current coping skills are.” She wants students to consider “if what they are doing is healthy for them. In order for them to come up with other solutions that the student could use as a coping tool to adjust their behavior when they start to feel stressed.”
She also explains that she consults students differently than other counselors. For example, she speaks to students as if they are adults because learning healthy habits can begin as teenagers. For example if a student is feeling upset about losing friendships, she wants them to understand that friendships are not always long term. She believes that “friends can be for a reason, season, or a lifetime. And that once you start to grow in different areas of your life that you may not be able to make some friends with you and that’s okay.
Ms. McIntyre explains that the first goal when meeting with a student “to understand the issues that are causing the student to be stressed and asking them what their current coping skills are.” She wants students to consider “if what they are doing is healthy for them. In order for them to come up with other solutions that the student could use as a coping tool to adjust their behavior when they start to feel stressed.”
She also explains that she consults students differently than other counselors. For example, she speaks to students as if they are adults because learning healthy habits can begin as teenagers. For example if a student is feeling upset about losing friendships, she wants them to understand that friendships are not always long term. She believes that “friends can be for a reason, season, or a lifetime. And that once you start to grow in different areas of your life that you may not be able to make some friends with you and that’s okay.
You will have all the memories that you have shared with that person. I know that may sound very adult, but it’s a mindset that teens should learn to develop now so it can help not making friends or friend groups leaving a negative experience.” Ms. McIntyre understands that schoolwork and due dates can be a big toll on students' mental health. Some of her suggestions for balancing the stress of school are “trying not to procrastinate on getting things done, create a list of assignments that need to get done and create time slots in your phone and alarms to get them finished. Always map out time in the day to just chill and relax. With these tools you should be able to relieve the stress.” |
When Ms. Mcintyre had a stressful time, she tells us, when she was in school getting her Master’s Degree, when her mother passed away, she managed the stress by “having a great support system,” and she also sought a therapist. She believed that “I needed to allow someone to help me process my thoughts like I had done for so many other people in my life.”
Stress in school causes serious negative effects, both physical and academic, so it is important that students learn healthy habits, management skills, and techniques to overcome painful situations. WE are lucky to have many helpful people in our school who are able and willing to assist anyone who seeks their help.
Stress in school causes serious negative effects, both physical and academic, so it is important that students learn healthy habits, management skills, and techniques to overcome painful situations. WE are lucky to have many helpful people in our school who are able and willing to assist anyone who seeks their help.