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By Skylynn Burnam

GRC Smoke Signals

Spending time away with your mind and body can be a task that gets swept under the rug for months or even several years. Being aware of stress levels can be a saving grace to your overall health and career.

The stress of life can seem to show up in ways that can shake a person’s perception of life and perseverance. Self-care is a topic that gets often overlooked.

We are all racing to beat deadlines and strive to reach the highest and the best.

After a while, it begins to gray and boggle our minds.

Before you know it we seem to have sudden spikes of health issues, migraines, maybe even overwhelming amounts of sadness, or the big bummer — burnout!

An unappealing season of life may be because of burnout.

This sensation seems to cycle around a long period where life feels repetitive.

When dealing with these emotions, you may even feel waves of discouragement.

Do you feel as if your life and mind are being tackled? When we become overloaded with stress, we lose track of creativity and become confused about what can make life enjoyable. Lack of self-care is a huge building block for stress to flourish freely.

Daily we need strong individuals to get the job done or make proper living situations for our families.

When burnout happens, it’s easier for people to drop their passions and become susceptible to procrastination. The ultimatum of this increases distress in daily tasks.

When people experience stress it doesn’t always have to make a person emotional. Stress can cause real-life illnesses that can deteriorate your life even more. These conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, obesity, and depression.

Understanding health issues is so important. Seeking a trusted physician is a part of self-care. Having an outlet to learn about your health is the perfect avenue to build yourself up.

After all, you may begin to feel better when you shine light on the things that have been cramped under the rug for so long.

Activities like journaling, adventures in nature, or even volunteering in your community can bring sparks that can keep your spirits lifted and your mind sharp. It is so important to realize that time for your body is possible.

Without being in a rushed mindset or busting your budget, self-care is possible. Finding new passions like spending time in nature or simply celebrating your life can positively impact your well-being. What highway are you willing to take to feel free in your mind?

Sunlight is a viable gift that we don’t take in enough. It helps our minds produce nutritious energy and a viable chemical called serotonin. Serotonin (hydroxytryptamine) plays a major role in mood and behavior.

Increasing your mind’s creativity can be a vessel that makes you a stronger individual and can help destroy burnout and overall frustration with the challenges life can bring.

Never doubt the importance of self-expression and giving back to the body that gives you the power to work through the tough stuff.

Wealth can be created through your well-being.

Skylynn Burnam is a senior George Rogers Clark High School. She enjoys creative writing as well as being a voice for her community. During the next few years, she plans on going to school to study dermatology and journalism. To read more of her and the Smoke Singals staff’s work visit www,grcsmokesignals.net.