Balance Stress With Self-Love

As the end of the school year approaches there is one thing you must remember— take care of yourself.

pc: Mia Willson

Stress can take damaging effects on our bodies, our minds, and our souls. Trust me, I'd be one to know.

A couple weeks ago I attended a cancer survivor retreat and brought my friend Danielle. Emilee, a friend of mine who I met at a cancer survivor meeting, put on the event. She is doing amazing things! Emilee is a yoga instructor, specializing in yoga techniques that everyone can do. Those who've been through such extreme medical conditions especially need to make sure they're taking care of themselves. I love her saying, "Cancer saved my life." It's the realest thing I've ever heard. I wouldn't be living life the way I do today if it wasn't for embracing that perspective.

pc: Mia Willson

The most influential part of this retreat was being reminded of the importance of self-love. No matter how busy you are, you are your number one priority. Even if that means you only get a few minutes to take a break, relax, or do something you love— you've gotta do it.

Soul Garden— it was so special randomly
picking "I am joy." Growing up in school,
everyone knew me as the shy girl whose been
through a lot. In college I've been able to embrace
who I really am and am happier than ever :) 

When you don't take care of you, that affects everything else in your life. Think of yourself as a soul, an energy that's carrying your body around through everything life has to offer— the good and the bad. No one can ever take care of you like you can take care of yourself.

Yesterday I took a stroll to the beach to relax and soak up the sun. After about an hour, one of my fellow editors texted me asking me to help edit three stories so they could get published.

Even though I was out doing something, I had no problem going home and getting back to work because I had my "me time."


The moral of the story being that we can all do better work when we're happier. Most of the time when we are stressed, in a bad mood, and want to do nothing but sit in the house and escape in our technology—we are forgetting about ourselves.

We all deserve better than that.

Earth Day,  Isla Vista

That is one of the reasons I decided to take my ocean kayaking class. Sometimes we gotta push ourselves to do something that's good for us. Even if it's at 8 am. Even if it means being launched upwards just to fall
back down again.

I'm not kidding.

pc: Mia Willson

I will never forget what happened during my last ocean kayaking class. I have never been so woken up so early in the morning.

My teacher loves to have us surf the waves in our kayaks every single class. He sits there in his single kayak, yells at us to move back in his British accent, and enjoys watching the student kayakers tip over, get soaked in the freezing water, and be taken back to shore. He might as well be chomping away a bag of popcorn.

Last class, an unexpected huge wave started to quickly approach my partner and I. Everyone else in the class was behind us. The wave started to break right in front of us and I stopped paddling in fear. My partner sitting behind me screamed at me to keep paddling. It was one of those "weeeeeeeeeeeee're screwed" either way moments.

pc: Mia Willson

We paddle through the wave, the wave lifts our kayak a couple feet up in the air, and I am airborne—launched another few feet into the air. Gravity takes over and I fall flat on my back RIGHT BACK ONTO THE KAYAK.

.........

I have never laughed so hard at such a terrifying experience.

Everyone else behind us wiped out since they were too far back (except my teacher of course). My partner said she barely got lifted out of her seat and watched me just fly into the air. Can you imagine if she had a GoPro on her? Let's just say it'd be a viral video. If I had one on me, the only thing you'd see is a blue sky! Hahaha

Did it hurt? Not that I could tell. I was too busy laughing until I could laugh no more.

pc: Mia Willson

Another moral to another story—laughter heals. Fun experiences balance out the hard work in our lives.

Now, go on and study— go to work and make that dough. But don't forget about your inner well-being.

Balance is always key.