Today, we practice making our glasses half-full rather than half-empty. Take a deep breath. One, two, three, exhale. Phew, I think we needed that. In fact, sometimes all we really need in order to quiet our minds include this slow and long breath in and out. Recently, I have been pushed into slowing downtime in order to analyze my thoughts carefully and as a result, have developed strategies that could really aid in this half-full, half-empty anxiety.
We’ve all heard the quote, “When we stop searching for that something is when we find what we are looking for.” Time presents itself as so valuable yet we waste most of it overthinking, stressed, and worried about this endless searching.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. Why Perspective?
Take a situation where you could’ve just taken a deep breath and kept calm rather than blown things out of proportion by worrying. Based on various experiences like this, I’ve learned that college gives us the time to understand the true meaning of a balanced life. One time, I remember this girl studying next to me was looking at her textbook and all of sudden plowed her head into it…I felt that. With ups and downs in our lives, I came to a realization that certain actions will change the game when it comes to our perspective.
From what you put into your body, to how you carry yourself and even the people you surround yourself with, these factors can change your own perspective and as a result, your world. The aim of creating a positive outlook for myself revolves around taking a sticky situation and making the best of it, and the outcome of anything starts off with how you view it.
It has been four years of an ongoing and similar routine for me in college, but this stage in my life woke me up to a solution that would lead to something bigger and with more meaning. Life, as we all know it in college, alternates from schoolwork where we cram for tests night after night, drink coffee to its last drop, stay up late for a night out and then a long day in class the next day.
Then there prevail other nights–where you and your friends laugh until you can’t breathe, people-watch the other drunk college students living their best life or a night full of card games and wine. With so many different kinds of nights in college, the chance to find the balance through it all also exists. When we focus on the bright side and gain control of the very thing we can control–our perspectives–life really lights up like fireflies circling a lamp. Thus, I present to you the three important factors that have changed my whole life and gave me a more positive perspective:
Healthy Eating Habits
At the end of it all, the saying, “You are what you eat” offers proof in itself as to why food proves so impactful to our overall well-being.
Indulging in the things that make you feel good brings you one step closer to the self-care needed to help you find this balance. Our body needs fuel in order to help us get through the day. A bowl of mac and cheese can be replaced with a healthy protein, carb and vegetable. Sautéed mushrooms and onions over a bed of lettuce topped off with a juicy steak will have you energized in a day packed with classes and extracurriculars.
Exercise
The euphoric feeling that runs through your veins after you accomplish something you were deeply devoted to feels like injecting pure confidence, energy and will into your veins. The right amount of exercise will do this for you. At least 30 minutes of cardio a day leads you on the path to living a successful lifestyle.
Not only does it increase blood flow and help your skin clear up, but it also gives you these precious energy college students long for. Food can give you energy or it can make you feel the exact opposite–heavy and devoid of life. Exercise releases endorphins, the happy chemicals in our brain, and when we do so, our perspectives brighten and reach all new heights. Take a bike ride over playing a game on your phone or gorging yourself with a whole bag of hot Cheetos. Over time and day by day, your dedication to embark on this healthy lifestyle will make the sky bluer and the grass greener.
Organization
The last piece of advice I would like to offer includes what I like to call my “clean room” advice. In other words, welcome to your guide for inner peace. Practicing organizational skills develops calming habits that benefit you, similar to meditation and yoga. Taking the time to realize what you are doing and how you are doing it decreases stress and makes tasks interesting. Sip on a delicious cup of coffee, put on your favorite Spotify playlist and practice your breathing exercises while you organize.
Like the paradox “mind over matter,” organizing your surroundings has the potential to also organize your mind. After all, this “clean room” also acts as a metaphor for your brain. Imagine trying to work in a messy room with clothes piled the floor, an unmade bed and a dirty sink caked with toothpaste. When you make an organization a priority, you make space for even greater things to take root.
Sit down and write the things you want to accomplish and when you finish it, cross them off. An organized mind with clear goals and intentions offers the same feeling as walking into a clean and sparkling room. The power of a clean environment both externally and in your mind will make room for more positive things to come and stay for a while.
Changes in our habits and actions offer the important puzzle piece we needed in order to grow.
Furthermore, if we didn’t see growth in ourselves, something would definitely prove wrong. Just like everything else in life, we ourselves must evolve and change with it. With every cycle you endure in life, the main key exists in the ability to change our perspectives through actions that eventually create positive outcomes. Whether the outcome revolves around school, work or friends, our outlook on a situation has the potential to change everything. With these three steps, soon enough you’ll feel ready to take on the world, one transformed action and perspective towards a more balanced lifestyle at a time.
