Positively Balanced LLC

Bridging the gap in women's health

Isabela Collins

How I am surviving the coronavirus pandemic 

Mental Health, Social Health

No one ever expected this. I would never have thought I would have to see my dear friends lose their jobs and file for unemployment before the age of 25. I never thought my senior athletes’ would see the field for the last time after a regular season game in mid March. No one could have prepared for this. Now we are living our lives like we have never had before, having more down time than we need or want, (hopefully) isolating in ourselves that we are bored to tears.

Thankfully, I still have a job and am working 4 days out of the week. BUT my lifestyle, like most of you, is turned upside down. It is hard to change and adjust to a routine you are used to. But instead of complaining about it and fighting it; i am accepting it for what it is and adapting. Instead of taking my cut hours at work as a bad thing, I am going to look at it as a blessing in disguise. I am going to be optimistic and try to seize this moment as an opportunity.  In my opinion, I think it is best to try to keep your day as productive as possible to try to avoid any negativity and bad thoughts that come to mind when I am just sitting around. Here are some tips and tricks I have been using to survive each day. 

Now that gyms are closed in Florida, we have to resort to staying active at home. Personally, this is extremely hard for me because it is so hard to stay motivated. Working out alone gets pretty boring but staying on top of my workout routine is extremely important to me. I think getting active a little bit every day will help increase and uplift your mood. Get outside and walk/run/bike around the block or find a quick youtube workout video.

To fill in the spare time I have, I decided to pick up a new hobby: gardening. I have always wanted to start my own vegetable garden and have my own supply to cook with, but with my busy and crazy work schedule, I always found an excuse to put it off. I am using this time to my advantage to start something new and fun! It gives me new excitement each day to watch my plant babies grow and gives me a sense of accomplishment. 

Now, I am not saying each day will be great and full of opportunity. We will have down days, but it is how we deal and react to them that will determine the outcome. From my previous article, I mentioned Camp Kulabunga, they have been great with providing us with resources through their Instagram (@campkulabunga) to get us through these tough times. (Read my previous article here: https://positivelybalancedllc.com/2020/01/06/vulnerability/ .)I really took into one of their workshops where they mentioned setting affirmations each day. That even though we are going through a rough time, we are still alive and present. We need to connect and have peace with our inner self, change your narrative to celebrate each day. 

Following these 3 simple tips have helped me stay (somewhat) sane throughout this quarantine. This situation we are in is far from ideal but, I am trying to get the most out of what is put in front of us, is keeping me positive throughout these weird times. 

Transitioning to Life Outside of College

Intellectual Health

College can be some of the best years of your life.  You are creating lifelong memories with friends along with finding a career path you are passionate about, all while living it up—young and carefree. It can be tough letting that go to start in the “real world”. As kids we envy and long to soon be adults, not knowing how scary and unknown it truly can be. I would compare adulthood and real life to improv; making it up as you go.

I experienced this first hand. Receiving my degree felt new and exciting as I finally headed out into adulthood. I didn’t even think there was going to be a transition. I thought I would make friends right off the bat at my new job, in a new city, while still keeping in touch with my college buddies like nothing has changed. Well, girl was I wrong!  The real world smacked me right in the face and I had no clue how to deal. From going out almost every night and skipping class whenever you chose, to now waking up at the crack of dawn and heading to the less than perfect entry level job, you really take those 4 years for granted. Now that I am a couple years post graduation, I have found myself settling in pretty nicely. The following are some tips I used after I passed my denial stage and saw myself starting to thrive. I hope they benefit you as well during your adaptation to this new world. 

Some things to keep in mind while you start your transition:

Acknowledge the transition. Be honest with yourself and others about the challenges you are having. You have to accept that things are changing. It may be scary but nothing can stay the same forever.  

Realize that the future and “real world” is unpredictable. You may not know what the future holds for you and you will never have all the answers. There will be uncertainty, and that is OK!

You are not alone. More people are struggling with this transition than you think. 

Trying to maintain relationships, juggling a new, full time job and whatever else you have going on in life can be difficult. You are used to being around a great college community and friends, so it’s natural that you may feel a little alone now. Being aware that there are others who are going through these same difficulties may help comfort you with this process. Find support groups and reach out to others in your new job.  You might possibly even make a friend! 

Erase expectations on what you think others think you should do. There is so much pressure to figure out what is next after you graduate. The stress of finding a job you enjoy, that pays well is much harder than others realize. Most undergraduates are in their early 20’s, with plenty of time to figure out what is next. Whether you decide to start your career, travel the world or just lay low back at your parents house, do not feel pressured to follow the status quo, when in reality that is hard to come by.

Do not compare your journey to others. As happy as you may be for others, it can be discouraging to see them grow into the next part of their life while you feel stuck. Do not let that unmotivate you. Everyone has a different timeline and there is no rush. It is best to take the time to figure out what you really want in life, rather than getting into something that makes you unhappy. Being in our 20s is the time to figure out ourselves and what we want. 

Create and maintain healthy relationships. It makes a difference to have a good support group. Keep in touch with old college friends while branching out to new people that you didn’t attend school with. This will help you step out of that college bubble.

Find healthy hobbies that you enjoy. Learn how to cook a real meal other than ramen, start exercising, pick up meditating; whatever you find interesting. Hobbies can be a great way to give someone a purpose in life. Many feel hopeless during this transition because they think they’re trapped doing the same routine of wake up, work, eat, sleep and repeat. I have found some guided meditation apps such as Calm to be a great resource. Meditating helps me unplug and decompress while I am able to sit with my thoughts to really get to know myself on a deeper level and help me think more clearly. Do not be afraid to start something new. It is also a great way to meet new people.

Embrace any fear you have during this journey. Use it to learn and grow from this experience. You will appreciate yourself more when it is over. 

You won’t have the rest of your life figured out, just enjoy the experience and look forward to what is next, whatever life has planned for you. Use this as a foundation and take it as it comes, one step at a time.

Vulnerability

Mental Health, Social Health, Spiritual Health

Vulnerability: Probably one of the hardest qualities to obtain; and to most people it is probably a negative quality to have. In my opinion, I think it is one of the greatest assets a person can have.  So, what exactly is “being vulnerable”? To me, being vulnerable is being your most authentic self, no matter what situation you are in. To expose yourself emotionally and show your true self.

You are probably thinking that you do that all the time, but look deep down and really ask yourself, is that a mantra you live by? If the answer is no, don’t worry, you are not alone. Being vulnerable is a lot harder than it seems and it is especially for women because we are constantly criticized for how we look and act. Society has us pictured a certain way for us to live by, but in reality we are all different and there’s no rule book to follow. We are our own worst critic, always comparing ourselves to others and how we perceive their lives (majorly through social media).

We are always trying to act and be the way we think society and others want us to act. “Not being 100%” is uncommon or frowned upon. That puts a toll on our mental health, self esteem, and our body in general. Changing our mindset and trying to be vulnerable is a job in and of itself. You are opening and exposing your true light…which is scary because others may not perceive it the same way as you; but it is a leap that should be taken to make great human connections.

I did not always think this way though. I was a very self conscious individual, always worried about everyone liking me and changing myself to fit in with the people I was around. I was on social media comparing myself and thinking I would be happier if I had what they had, but never thought to search within myself and observe what I had and what I was taking for granted. I felt lost.  I had graduated from college two years prior and thought I had to live my life a certain way to be accepted into adulthood, I was not happy with my day to day lifestyle,  and was always looking to Instagram to envy the life of my followers. I didn’t know who I was, there wasn’t anything defining or interesting about me. I developed depression and anxiety and could not figure out a way out.

I had the opportunity to attend Camp Kulabunga:  a camp put on by Grant Kwiecinski (aka GRiZ) and his friends in Michigan that focuses on self empowerment and community. This retreat changed my life and how I live it. I realized what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and feel complete once again. One of the biggest takeaways I learned was the positive outcomes from being my true self: being vulnerable to others and how to shed that light to others around me. I met the most genuine people that turned into family and made the most authentic connections I have in my lifetime, even though it was only 4 days. I was able to open up without the fear of being judged, and in turn was able to hear other people’s stories.

Being vulnerable is like a domino effect, once you can be vulnerable to someone, they in turn will feel more comfortable to do the same. It is taking that leap to start it and see the ripple effect. In most cases, you are not alone. During my time at Camp Kulabunga, I heard so many stories that I related to and made me realize that my insecurity or fear is very common among others. It was so nice to talk to someone with the same issue and work through it together and to know I have someone to fall back to if and when i needed it. It’s ok to not be ok!

“Being vulnerable is like a domino effect, once you can be vulnerable to someone, they in turn will feel more comfortable to do the same. It is taking that leap to start it and see the ripple effect. In most cases, you are not alone.”

-Isabela Collins ATC

Once you are vulnerable with someone,  it connects us on a deeper level.  Once I started exposing myself emotionally to friends I have known for years, our relationship flourished. I noticed how close we got in the last couple months than we ever had been in the 5+ years we have known each other.  I appreciate our friendship and the relationship we established because of how deep it goes.  It’s not all small talk and going out/drinking, it’s about being there for each other and seeing each other flourish and grow.

There are so many positive aspects of vulnerability that we don’t realize because of the negative stigma it has to the name. Being vulnerable takes courage, but the outcome outweighs the risk. Next time you are having a conversation with someone and they ask you how you are,  try not to say “good”, show yourself and have that meaningful conversation I know you are dying to have!

Note:  “Camp Kulabunga is not a music festival. It is a sober, tech free event for personal exploration and community. To check out GRiZ and more information on Camp Kulabunga, visit @griz and @campkulabunga on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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