The Ongoing Storm
How Life Gets Us Down and How to Cope
Humans go about life day by day, and we experience quite a bit of turbulence or trials throughout our lives. Whether it be work fulfillment, bills, or just trouble waking up every day, everyone struggles with something. Unfortunately, some of us have it worse than others, but there are ways to cope with these everyday challenges. These five skills that I'm going to explain could help you as much as it helped me.
1. Stop and "Smell the Roses"
I know it's a cliché, but cli·chés are cli·chés for a reason; they pertain to everyday life in some way. This coping mechanism definitely helps me focus on what's presently important and not overwhelming myself. This skill teaches the user how to slow down and make their brain kind of stop, even for just a minute. Enjoying nature is another skill within this skill, and it can help you appreciate the little and positive things that are physically around you. I use this one frequently, and it helps me with my mania.
2. Live in the Present
This one can seem really tough, especially when you have so many things going on in your head. Living in the present can be fulfilling if you really commit to staying in the moment. All this means is focusing on the now and staying present and active inside that moment. If you're reading, focus on only reading. If you're writing, focus only on writing. It's not the simplest of tasks, but it's one of the most helpful tips I have.
3. Using Essential Oils
Do you happen to have a smell that immediately takes you to your happy place? If so, you should definitely use it! Essential oils are a great way to provide stress relief and relaxation. You could use these oils along with deep breathing or meditation to get a full sense of calm. Personally, I like all of the scents, but the two that I use the most are lavender and jasmine. Sometimes, I'll use these scents together along with my deep breathing exercises and it really helps, especially if I need a good night's sleep. I highly recommend using these oils, and they're pretty cheap depending on where you shop.
4. Take a Deep Breath
Sometimes, you just need to calm yourself as quickly as possible, and I realized that a few deep breaths in a reasonable succession are quite helpful in these moments. Taking a deep breath allows your brain to receive oxygen, and it also helps with anxiety. I noticed that when I take three or four good deep breaths, I can think clearly and calmly enough to handle my stressor(s). I think that this skill is especially helpful in professional settings (work, school, etc.).
5. Take a Break
Have you ever been working on something for so long, you feel like your mind literally turns into mashed potatoes? I've been there plenty, which is why I can give you this final piece of advice: it's okay to take a break. If you start to feel overwhelmed or that you can't think straight, taking a break gives you the time to recollect and refresh yourself. I've been in many situations where I had to take at least a ten-minute break. Especially if you work on many long-term projects or if you're a student that has to study frequently, taking a break is the best way to save yourself from becoming burnt out. I use this skill many times throughout the day, and I found that because I took a break I was actually more productive.
Life isn't easy, and our daily tasks aren't necessarily easy either. However, I hope that I could help some of you with these tips and coping skills. You can use them anytime and anywhere you feel stress or anxiety coming on. These are the five most useful things in my coping skills toolbox.
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The Hustle Trap: How Chasing Success Is Quietly Stealing Your Happiness
For an entire generation, success has been rebranded as a lifestyle. Social media feeds are filled with early mornings, late nights, motivational quotes, and captions that glorify exhaustion as a badge of honor. The message is clear and constant: if you are not grinding, you are falling behind. This idea, often called “hustle culture,” has become one of the most powerful and persuasive narratives of modern life. At first glance, it sounds inspiring. Work hard. Push yourself. Don’t settle for average. These are not harmful ideas on their own. The problem begins when effort becomes an identity and rest becomes something to feel guilty about. Many people now measure their worth by how busy they are. The signs of the hustle trap often appear quietly. Skipped meals become normal. Sleep becomes optional. Weekends turn into “catch-up days.” Time with family and friends starts to feel like a distraction instead of a joy. The line between dedication and self-neglect slowly disappears. Psychologists warn that chronic overwork doesn’t just drain energy — it changes how the brain responds to stress. When the body stays in a constant state of pressure, it begins to treat even small challenges as threats. This can lead to anxiety, irritability, and a feeling of being permanently on edge. Ironically, this state of mind often makes people less productive, not more. Creativity declines. Decision-making becomes rushed. Focus becomes scattered. The very success people are chasing starts to move further away. One of the most dangerous myths of hustle culture is the idea that “you can rest after you make it.” The problem is that “making it” is a moving target. There is always another goal, another level, another comparison. Without realizing it, people can spend their entire lives chasing a future moment of peace that never arrives. But a quiet shift is beginning. More professionals, entrepreneurs, and creators are starting to question the grind. They are redefining success not just by income or status, but by quality of life. They are asking different questions: Do I have time for the people I care about? Do I enjoy my daily routine? Do I feel present in my own life? Some companies are experimenting with four-day workweeks. Others are encouraging employees to fully disconnect after hours. Individuals are setting boundaries around their time and attention, even when it feels uncomfortable at first. This doesn’t mean ambition is disappearing. It means it’s being reshaped. There is a growing understanding that sustainable success is built like a marathon, not a sprint. It requires pacing, recovery, and self-awareness. Just as athletes schedule rest days to avoid injury, high performers are learning to schedule mental and emotional recovery to avoid burnout. Another powerful realization is that identity should not be tied to productivity alone. People are more than what they produce. They are friends, partners, parents, learners, and community members. When work becomes the only source of meaning, everything else can start to feel empty by comparison. Small changes can begin to loosen the grip of the hustle trap. Turning off notifications in the evening. Taking a real lunch break. Saying no to commitments that don’t align with personal values. These acts may seem minor, but they send a powerful message to the mind: my life is not a machine. In a world that constantly pushes for more, choosing “enough” can feel like an act of rebellion. But it is often in that space — between ambition and acceptance — that people rediscover something they didn’t even realize they were losing. Joy.
By Hazrat Usman Usman6 days ago in Motivation
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