Even on some of our best and brightest days, we indulge in some not so healthy habits. Whether it’s spending a little too much money shopping to majorly procrastinating on that ten page paper, we all participate in a bad habit or two. But these are things we are actively participating in; bad things that we know we are doing. So how about the things that we don’t even realize we are doing, like stressing out? There are times when the stress of life creeps into our conscience without our consent. No matter how we try to push this stress out of our minds, it sits there and attempts to make us anxious and worried about even the smallest of things. Here are 6 things that are totally stressing you out without your permission.
- Fear of Failing
This is one of the deadliest underlying stresses as it can literally attack you at any moment. Picture this: you’re in the middle of an exam, you are staring at the last page of multiple choice questions, and you have zero idea as to what the answers are. You start racking your brain of all the future horrors, you start picturing your life as a “failure.” You think you’re going to fail the exam, which will lead to you failing the course, not getting a desirable average, and then not getting your dream job. All these thoughts swarm your head and totally throw you right off from your original task – finishing that exam! Everyone has these thoughts, and it is totally natural. Just remember, if you don’t get that A on the exam, use it to motivate yourself for the next one, and remember that test can be retaken, but you can’t retake life.
- Fear of Being Socially Judged
This is the stress that lingers in my mind on a day-to-day basis. I will be walking down the hallways of my university and I will start to contemplate how I am being perceived by others. I’ll become more aware in how I am breathing, or if my feet are stepping in a timely manner. All these random thoughts come into my mind like, “maybe I have something on my face”, or “maybe my outfit isn’t as on point as I thought it was.” Whatever it is that slips into my mind is not helping my self-esteem and is keeping me from enjoying life. Ignore that voice inside your head telling you to worry, and keep on walking.
- The Single Girl Syndrome
No matter what your relationship status is currently at, we’ve all been single at some point in our lives. Being single can be both liberating and exciting because after enduring an awful breakup, or just in need of some space, discovering who you are is the best route to take. Discovering how to be happy by yourself and for yourself is a crucial experience, because being Miss Independent can open up a whole new world for you. However, despite all the amazingness that being a girl boss brings, sometimes the stress of finding a significant other or just a boy to hangout with can feel overwhelming. You might start to think things like, “Is there something wrong with me?” or “Why isn’t anyone interested in me?” Snap out of it. Just remember that this stress needs to be kicked out because you need to remember, things are going to happen when they are supposed to.
- Money Anxiety
You’re at Starbucks and you have just ordered a Venti Caramel Macchiato with soy. While you are waiting for the barista to carefully craft your drink, you start thinking about what you just spent on your awaited coffee masterpiece – $8.70. You start thinking about how many coffees you buy a week and how much money you could be saving. The list starts to pile up, and as soon as they call your name and hand you your large white cup of amazingness, every sip starts to become less and less enjoyable as your thoughts linger on. Remember, it is totally okay to treat yourself once in a while because you deserve it. Leave those thoughts at the lid and sugar station, and be on your way.
- Health Goals
Beep. Beep. It’s your alarm going off for your 8:00 AM gym sesh. Your “ten more minutes” turns into half past noon, and you start stressing out about how you missed yet another active morning. Health goals can be really hard to maintain because sometimes there is a big difference between what we want to accomplish and what we can find time to accomplish. Most of us want to hit the gym five times a week and manage our calories as well as we manage our work schedules. This however is not always the case, and it can stress you out majorly. Remember, do not stress yourself out about missing your workout, because if you keep a positive state of mind and ambition with you at all times, you can always go the next day.
- Am I A Disappointment?
Sometimes, we can fall into a bit of a rut. Those days when you just can’t quite get out of bed, or the days where you just feel like you aren’t really there when you are physically present. That’s 100% normal. Sometimes you may feel a little off, and that can lead to the stress of disappointment creeping in. It could strike you at any time – the idea that you aren’t living up to the expectations of others. In any situation, the idea of not being good enough is very scary and unfortunately, very real to almost everyone. When this happens, you need to pick yourself from that negative ground and remember that what you put out into the universe will come back to you. If you are feeling down, remember that you are amazing and you are going to do great things.
At the end of the day, it is so hard to simply turn these things off. But you need to try your best, keep on slaying, and say a big bye-bye to these little stresses that burrow their way into your mind. Because you are strong enough to make sure that they don’t find their way back.
Featured image via cottonbro on Pexels
These are so true! Its so easy to feel stressed out when you are a student