Millennials, 2021 Is Here — Now What?
We’re finally in 2021! We can celebrate, but I’m not getting too excited because many of you worry me. Some of you are sounding like a bad song, just repeating the same lines: “I’m soooo glad 2020 is over,” “This year will be my year,” “We survived last year,” etc. Trust me, I get how hard last year was, but I don’t think we realize why 2020 was difficult.
2020 being awful had little to do with our favorite heroes dying unexpectedly, Covid-19 being a plague, the country going on lockdown (with some exceptions) or “blacklivesmatter” being treated as just a hashtag. Yes, these played a role, but honestly, 2020 was difficult because you don’t know how to handle stress. Yes, you! The unexpected happened in 2020, and it will happen again in 2021 and beyond. How you handle stress and unexpected obstacles will determine if this year will be a success story or a repeat of 2020.
Question: What are you going to do if you get a call that a loved one is in the hospital? Or your employer tells you they have to lay you off? How would you react? Be honest with yourself, too. Will you run to call a friend? Cry? Buy a bottle of wine? What are your coping mechanisms? How do you manage your stress?
We’re all struggling, and it seems Millennials may be especially struggling. Look at the titles of these articles from 2020:
• From Parade: “Millennials Are Struggling the Most With Mental Health During the Pandemic…”
• From CNBC: “Wake up, millennials: Now is the time to prioritize your mental health…”
Convinced yet? Here are some facts: Those aged 20-39 have a 101% higher risk of depression and a 132% greater risk of general anxiety disorder than their middle-aged counterparts (ages 40-59). Also, this age group has a 305% higher risk of depression than their Baby Boomer colleagues (ages 60-plus). Do you feel like you are getting attacked? I promise this is out of love.
This is why I am here. I’ll teach you a few stress management techniques that will help you be the best version of yourself.
1. Who’s your emotional plug?
Who’s your go-to person when you need to get your emotional “high” after feeling low? It’s imperative that we analyze this when talking about stress management. If you are not who you need to be in life, more than likely you are not who you need to be around. We’re all influenced by the people we talk to the most, for good and for bad.
Did you know when you spend time with a friend who will listen to you, it can lower your stress levels? Let me repeat that: someone who listens to you! Your body releases a hormone that stops your fight-or-flight response and allows you to naturally relax. Now the question is, who is your emotional plug? Is it someone who is going to leave you charged up or someone who is going to drain you? Find yourself a positive emotional plug and see how your life can change.
2. You are what you eat.
America’s sugar consumption is crazy. Sugar can not only make you stressed, but most of us are also addicted to it! Our sugar intake has us in emotional car accidents. The daily crashes many of us experience due to low blood sugar have us moody, irritable and stressed out. Some of us may be losing sleep, too. Did you know that insomnia can be a symptom of unmanaged blood sugar?
Don’t believe me? Here’s a challenge: Cut sugar from your diet for three days. I promise you’ll end up like a sugar-starved version of Pookie from New Jack City: “It [sugar] be callin’ me, man.” Sadly, our food options are slim, especially in urban communities. It’s criminal how you can never find a Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Despite food deserts being real, we must be cautious about what we eat. Our eating habits must reflect the lifestyle that we are looking to live. How can you want a rich lifestyle but have a poor diet? It does not add up. Start watching your diet today.
3. Stop pulling your triggers.
Learn how to manage and eventually eliminate your triggers by gaining new perspectives on old experiences. It’s not easy, so let me give you the best plan possible: Avoid your triggers! For many, your triggers place you in an emotional state that is similar to quicksand. You’re sinking in a plethora of negative feelings and thoughts that are self-destructive. Our reactions to them, well, it’s not good. Some of us have temper tantrums, eat unhealthily and indulge in activities that are toxic.
Are you ready to start avoiding your triggers? Who are the people and places that you need to avoid while you work on yourself? Is it your job? Then it’s time to fix your resume. Is it a family member? If so, you will have to love them from a distance. Is it a friend? Then remember this life-long lesson: You have friends for a reason, friends for a season and friends for a lifetime; don’t make the mistake of giving a lifelong friendship to someone who was meant to be seasonal! I need you to take your life seriously. If you’re struggling, it’s ok. Here are some tips about finding a therapist or a life coach if you need a support system.
You do need stress to be great! Stress is not a bad thing; it’s our inability to manage it and our lack of healthy coping mechanisms that make us think it’s bad. Name a successful person and I guarantee you they’re facing stress. This should excite you! Yet, I see too many people dumb down their lives due to not wanting to face stress. Why? Isn’t anything worth having worth fighting for? And that’s exactly what I wish for you: Develop a mindset and have healthy coping mechanisms where you can handle any and all stress.