Life is hard for you right now. You have a million things to do at one time, you try to please everyone and make sure nobody is mad, and experience stress and anxiety about good grades. On top of it you have to make a major decision about college which with you will be stuck with for the next 4 years in college and the next 40 years for your career.
Junior and senior year is full of doing things you aren't used to doing. There is a lot of change. You don't know exactly what life looks like out of high school or college. You don't know what to expect.
As a result, so many of my clients (people in your exact situation!), are stressed, overwhelmed, and so busy that they can't even catch their breath. You want to know if you are fulfilling God's plan for your life, but you are more worried if you can even make it through the day without a panic attack.
I've been there. My junior year in high school, I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect, to have perfect grades, and to be the best in my class at everything, that I found myself sitting outside of my classrooms with my mom or nurse just trying to catch my breath as I experienced panic attack week after week.
Something had to change. I had to find ways to reduce my stress. Having a panic attack every week was not what I wanted to be my norm. I envisioned my senior year to be full of exciting and happy experiences, not so overwhelmed that I could barely breathe. I'm sure you feel the same way!
Here are the ways that I used to reduce my stress during the summer leading up to my senior year, in college, and while running a busy senior photography business.
Exercise
You don't have to run a marathon or be an athlete to utilize the benefits from exercising. Just 30 minutes a day of raising your heart rate can drastically reduce your stress. Raising your heart rate releases endorphins. Endorphins are hormones in your brain that elevate your mood and lower your stress.
You don't have to run or play sports, either. Exercise can range from the obvious of running or playing sports to dancing or walking. Find something that you love doing and do that. Just do it.
Schedule your time to work out. Pick a 30-45 minute time slot each day, type (or write) it in your calendar, and keep the appointment. If you prefer to sweat it out before school, then prepare for that. Set out your workout clothes and set your alarm to wake up early. If you want to workout after school, then make sure that you have your workout clothes in your car and ready to go so that you don't get distracted, run home, and fall on the couch only to binge on Netflix and skip that day's workout.
You were made for more than stress and anxiety.
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