Steem engagement challenge-s7/w5|My way to stay balanced during the time of stress

It is S7W5 I'm glad to share my opinion on the most familiar topic in our current society "Stress!". I think many of us deal with stress in everyday life. Building awareness on such topics is really important these days because stress can finally lead to severe depression stages. So sharing opinions and advice can help someone who is in need to overcome such situations. Thanks to #incredibleIndia for organizing this wonderful challenge. More than a challenge, for me it's more of raising social awareness.

In our society, I have met many people who think going to a counselor or psychologist is something to be shame of. There is nothing that brings shame. Just as we visit a consultant or a doctor for our physical health issues, for mental health issues we should go to a counselor or psychologist for help. It is just an appointment that will turn your life for good.

Seeking help from a therapist does not mean that something is wrong with you. It means that:

• You may seek clarity in some situations in your life.
• To guide you through complex emotions.
• Help you out from some sort of traumatic experience.
• will help you change your thinking patterns in a positive way.
• Teach new techniques to deal with pressure in day-to-day life.
• To focus more on personal growth.

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What do you do to stay balanced in times of stress?

As a mom, I feel stressed throughout the day. Motherhood has been a challenging journey both physically and mentally. I try various ways to pull myself out of stressful situations.

• Trying to share the workload - Asking for help

When there is a newborn at home, It was really hard to get work done in the usual pattern. Keeping all my work to myself made me more stressed out. I didn't have time for myself, the work at home just got overloaded day by day and majorly I felt I'm not a good mom who can give proper concentration and care for my baby.

Therefore I decided it is better to ask for help from my partner and parents. Even if I need something in a certain way, I gave up all those self-imposed expectations. Distributing work made my life a lot better and stress-free.

• Talk to a close friend

I realized how important is to have a friend with who you can talk and share anything in mind. It helped me a lot. I was lucky to have a friend with whom I could speak my heart out was like a god given gift. It made me feel better and find many more options for which I'm stuck. And especially It made me feel I'm not the only person in the world who is bearing much pressure.

• Self Love

Self-love is really important to keep stress away. As I mentioned above after distributing the work I managed to have some time for myself. I felt I need to take care of myself first to take care of my family. There is nothing to pour from an empty vessel so I always keep that in mind. And I prioritize myself during the day. I started having at least a few mins to do something which I really love doing like going to a salon, eating something I like, going on shopping, or simply enjoying tea.

• Prioritize work

It's an unrealistic expectation to complete all the work in one day. So I started prioritizing my work for the day, and I did what is important at the moment. Multi-tasking doesn't work while taking care of a baby. Taking care of the baby is the most important thing to do. While the baby is asleep I do the things on my priority list. Having a priority list gave me a guide for the day. It helped me to avoid many stressful moments and It made me more time to spend with my family.

• Travel
  Going on a family vacation really helps to reduce stress. The escape from daily chaotic life will make you feel better. With the change in the environment and surroundings definitely, you will start feeling the change in you. Breathing some fresh air and giving space to think freely is a great way to avoid stress.

Give three main reasons behind our stress.

Here I will talk about the common reasons that Sri Lankan moms feel stressed these days.

1. The Country's economic situation - The country's economic situation hampers all parts of life. Living cost is rising higher and higher each day. There are people who can't afford a child's expenses. Many babies don't get proper nutrients. It is found in a survey that most babies are suffering from malnutrition. Having nothing to feed babies makes parents stressed very much.

2. Protecting the child from health diseases - Nowadays we hear of many viruses and health diseases in our society. With the current situation in the country, medical requirements cannot be fulfilled as we did earlier. The unavailability of essential medical supplies makes life a lot harder and more complicated. The free medical facilities are reduced and many people can't afford private hospital charges. Therefore there is a huge responsibility to take care of the child from diseases.

3. Trying to be the perfect mom - Every mom has different strategies to take care of their child. Comparing and trying to do what other moms do increases stress. It's better to find what suits your child the best and continue. It will keep both you and your baby happy.

Do you think now we should take this problem seriously? If so, then describe why?

Yes, It is a critical problem in our society, but no one takes it seriously until someone lost their life. The suicidal rate due to stress increases each day. Stress impacts both physical and mental health, it also can lead to anxiety and depression which is why proper awareness of stress is needed.

If anybody around you has these symptoms:

• Different behavior and easily gets angry
• Has a headache or an upset stomach without any cause
• Poor concentration and trouble sleeping.

These symptoms should be identified earlier. The only person experiencing will know how much it affects you and how severe it is. If you manage stress in the right way you can turn your life into a healthier way. No matter what be positive and be happy with what you have now. Be thankful for the life you have got!

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I would like to invite @patjewell @liasteem @malkoo45 to participate in this Engagement challenge.