Short messages on Positive change from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
The phrase “Hurt people hurt people” means that people who are hurting lash out at others, causing them pain, whether intentionally or not. You can choose to take in that anger and lash out in return, or you can choose to rise above and react to that person with compassion and understanding.
“Those who hurt us are usually hurting themselves, and their pain may be so strong that they are not even aware they are hurting us.” – Joyce Meyers
Mindfulness lets us stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns. We can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply ‘mental events’ that do not have to control us.
Mindfulness allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience, and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation, a tool you can use in daily life to lower stress, improve focus, or treat anxiety or depression. You can use it when you are stressed about an exam, anxious in social situations, and many other difficult times.
“Mindfulness” is a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Place one hand on your upper chest and one on your stomach. Take a breath, let your stomach swell forward as you breathe in, and fall back gently as you breathe out. Get a steady rhythm, taking the same depth of breath each time. The hand on your chest should have little or no movement.
When you’re anxious or stressed, your breathing can become quick and shallow, which reduces the amount of oxygen going to your organs. Learning how to breathe deeply can help reduce some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety.
Put aside some time each day to discover which relaxation techniques work for you. They can be active (going for a walk or swim, doing a puzzle, learning yoga, play sports) or passive (having a bath, reading a book, sitting in the park, listening to music, meditating).
Many forms of relaxation, like walking or sitting quietly, are very simple, easy to do and cost nothing. Others, like yoga or meditation, require some training or discipline. Going fishing or playing sports can be a great way of relaxing too.