7- Renee Roberts: Things That Bring Joy

Around the time of the start of the second semester, my anxiety rose with my new overwhelming schedule as well as the stress of figuring out how I was going to balance work, friends, and school while still maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, and a healthy mindset. The last blog I wrote was actually concerning these issues, and unfortunately, my predictions were right: I’m exhausted. 

When deciding what I would write about this week, I told myself I wouldn’t write an “update” per my last blog, but this is different. I have been feeling so negative as of late, mostly due to the new semester’s challenges, that I’ve found it extremely hard to persevere and focus on the good. That is why I’m choosing to talk about the things that are bringing me joy even while I feel I’m at my worst. Not only is this therapeutic, but a reminder to myself and others to not lose sight of the good things in life, and never take them for granted. ` 

Something I always do, no matter if I’m stressed out or not, is to listen to music. I try to find new songs and make a monthly playlist. I’m not sure why but it’s one of my favorite things to do, as well as sharing my music with some of my friends. This might seem like a small insignificant thing, but it makes a serious impact on my mood. 

The biggest de-stressor I can think of would be my friend group. I’m extremely lucky that I have such close friends and feel I have a really strong support system. The friendships and relationships in my life are so important and remind me how lucky I am to have that in the first place, while a lot of others don’t. I feel that is the biggest source of my happiness. Spending time with my friends always makes me feel better, which is why even with my busier schedule, I will always make time for that. 

I truly feel it is so important to remind yourself of the positives in your life, so feel free to share yours as well.