New York Sity: Reflections On Every Day Topics

Well-Being

Growing up, your family is always trying to make sure you're healthy. To make sure you're eating properly, and to make sure you have enough physical activity in your day to well... be healthy. Some of us go into sports, some of us go into dancing, some of us into karate. Some of us into all three! There is so much more to being healthy, however, because it's not just about your physical well-being, it's also your mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. And trying to maintain all of these (and perhaps more) aspects of your life in a proper, healthy balance can be extremely difficult. But we find a way, don't we? As humans I think it's only natural for us to adapt and cope and struggle and come out on top – even in the smallest way.

I had an interview at my college earlier this week where the lady asked me what I do when I am dealing with stress. Initially, I thought "Oh I listen to music and create dance performances in my head" but that was before I could entirely process the question. I told her that whenever I deal with stress in my life, I write. Writing has become a vital aspect of who I am as a person. I love writing and it serves as something to do when I need to deal with something that is happening. Not all writing I do is because I'm stressed, so don't get me wrong, but I believe that through some type of stress or pain, we tend to motivate ourselves from that. The opposite is true too, writings of positivity and writings of love that are just as deep and meaningful as those of heartbreak and loss. I tend to have my writings be motivated by some type of sadness or sometimes slight anger (and I barely get angry – true story), which tend to help me out immensely. I learned recently in one of my psychology classes about "Cathartic release", which is basically when you do something to make yourself feel better. Writing is that for me. As well as eating, shopping, listening to music, dancing, and watching movies or TV shows. And for others, drugs help too. And perhaps this may be creeping into my lifestyle slowly.

It's not that doing drugs is bad, really; I think drugs become a problem when a person becomes dependent on it to actually function. When a person needs a drug to find happiness, or be excited, or anything – then it becomes a problem. For some people it may be more complicated than that. They may have something in their biological makeup that makes them more likely to take drugs and become hooked – some may just not have the proper support from peers or family that serve as a reality check that drugs are not the answer. And some just don't care. Out of the three I just mentioned, the last is probably the most destructive. In regards to me, however, it's not that I have something in my genes, it's not that I don't have the proper support, and it's not that I don't care. I simply think that I need a drink here and there because it does make me feel better. Generally I drink for parties that way I can enjoy myself more, and generally I also tend to be more fun and outgoing with liquor in my system. I rarely drink when I'm dealing with something stressful. Most of the reason why I never did that was because I wasn't legal to buy my own liquor, but now that I am, it's something that may be more frequent.

I've always wondered how some writers can dig into the deepest parts of their pain and write it out in a way that is beautiful; the message conveys all the pain and sorrow but the writing makes it wonderful. One way to do that is probably because of drugs, and in some way, I am hoping that I can dig deeper into my mind and write something beautiful. The reflections on here are more in a form of a journal entry, so the creativity here I think is limited, but I do have moments when I write poetry. Recently I wrote my best friend a short story for his birthday and I think it was well-written. There is a lot of creativity hidden and it's just waiting to take the stage. I am hoping that with drinking every now and then, it will bring this out of me. I'm confident that it will do wonders for me, in terms of my well-being.

I haven't touched upon the aspects of our lives that we should keep healthy but if you think about it, I am subtly talking about it in the previous paragraphs. Drinking to release stress or to bring out creativity helps with emotional and mental well-being. Drinking, too, has a social aspect that promotes a good time (hopefully). Spiritually, I can't speak on that much because I am not in touch with any religious beliefs, but for the rest I can say a thing or two. I have dealt with a lot the past 12 months and it is amazing I haven't cracked. I constantly find myself reaching a verge of mental and emotional burnout, which impact my physical and social aspects, but I never let it happen. I think I am resilient. I think I am strong. No, I am resilient and strong. There is a lot of confusion and sadness and stress that I have felt and managed through it. I write about it, I listen to music, I dance, I shop. All of this helps me maintain my well-being.

Think about it, don't we all have something we do to keep us healthy? Some of us may cry, some of us may lash out, some of us may just isolate ourselves from the world. These are all okay ways of dealing with something, and I think it is important to have time to yourself. But just like with drugs, it only becomes a problem when it becomes a necessity. If it ever gets to that point, then there is more wrong than you may be aware of. I find myself to be aware of a lot of the stress in my life, from the past, the present, and the future, but that is because I find ways to reflect on myself that make me aware.

Perhaps that's all we need every once in a while – to reflect.

Or maybe sometimes we just need some time apart. Even from ourselves.