The Power of Music

One of the happiest moments of my life occurred very recently. I was sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with my friend Kaitlyn. I was already extremely excited to be in Paris, a place I never thought I’d actually go, but the feeling that came over me while drinking wine at 7:30pm, watching the lights glisten off of the Eiffel Tower, while listening to the song ‘Paris’ by the 1975, had to be one of the best feelings I have ever experienced.

We sat on the cold grass swaying back and forth while singing each and every word to the song, and the only word I could think of to describe that experience was euphoric. I did not just feel happy, it was a feeling that is hard to even put into words. I just sat there realizing how lucky I am to be living this life, and I never wanted to leave that exact moment.

Life passes by so quickly right before our very eyes, and I was desperately clinging onto the 4 minutes and 53 seconds that I had in that exact moment listening to the powerful words of the 1975, feeling something that I would never truly feel again.

The thing about this song is that it is so upbeat, but the lyrics are quite sad. There are references to cheating, cutting wrists, overdosing, and the realization that everyone is ultimately just the same. The great thing about the 1975 is that their lyrics can be humorous, quite depressing, but also relay a greater message regarding equality and the harsh realities of the world in which we live in today, all in the same song.

Music has the ability to allow people to feel a sense of connection. When you listen to a song that you find relatable to your own life, or to your own personal struggles, you connect with something or someone, and in some cases, you feel less alone. Music puts feelings, emotions, and experiences that you cannot find the right words to describe into words for you.

I have never been a very creative or artistic person, but for most of my life I have relied on music for connection to others, and for coping with whatever I am going through. Music, no matter what genre, has the ability to bond people together, remind people of a specific time in their past, and help people come to terms with their emotions. Music also has the great power to extend universal messages regarding understanding, equality, love, friendship, and so much more.

Gifts From Galway

Whenever you ask someone about their experience studying abroad a common theme is always change. Learning to accept change, cope with change, and even changing as a person. It is hard to truly understand what people mean without living through a similar experience, but now I understand.

Change, growth, independence, and joy are all words that I would use to describe my experience abroad.

1. Change. This is, of course, a given. You are traveling alone to another country and living on your own, for maybe, the first time ever, obviously your life is going to change! You will quickly be immersed into a completely different culture, and you will eventually learn to accept and embrace this different culture. In my opinion, you will grow to love the culture for opening your mind up to a different way of life.
2. Growth.  I believe that change and growth are often linked together. When faced with great change, you can either resist this change or you can accept this change, and grow from that acceptance.
3. Independence. Growing as a person often leads to gaining maturity along with independence. This is a big one for me because I have always been so dependent on my twin sister, Meghan. This experience has forced me out of my comfort zone, and it has forced me to become comfortable and confident in my own skin. Finding a feeling of comfort and happiness within myself is something that I am truly grateful for.
4. Joy. Last but not least, joy. The best gift that studying abroad has given me is unexplainable joy. It is hard to describe that feeling that hits you like a wave of happiness and excitement when being introduced to new places, cultures, and people for the very first time. It is like having a permanent smile on your face, and I believe that it is something that you can only find by traveling abroad.

Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to become less judgmental and more open to new ideas and cultures. You realize that although people may have different ways of life, the way that people feel and love is the same no matter where you go. It gives you the opportunity to meet people that you would have never had the opportunity to meet, including locals and life long friends from other parts of the US.

Studying abroad has given me the gift of truly discovering who I am as a person, which is hard to fully understand unless you live it. I have learned the power of living in the moment, the ability to stay positive and look on the bright side of every situation, the power of putting yourself out there without the fear of rejection, and the ability to open up your mind to new and different ways of life.

All of these valuable gifts that studying abroad has given me have helped change my outlook on life. Before going abroad I struggled with anxiety, the fear of being judged, often comparing myself to others which made me struggle with confidence, and I allowed the little things to ruin my mood, and even my day. Although some of these struggles, such as anxiety, are still prevalent in my everyday life, I am no longer consumed by these other negative thoughts.

I have changed, grown, become more independent, and I have found so much joy because of my decision to study abroad, and for that I am truly thankful.

National Mental Health Week

Although National Mental Health Week is coming to an end, it still deserves a great amount of recognition. People often avoid acknowledging their own, and others mental health status, but why? There seems to be an ongoing idea that has been around for a long time that suggests that struggling with your own mental health may be a sign of weakness, or something to be ashamed of. It is time to erase that negative stereotype.

Physical and mental health are equally important in order to live a long, happy, and healthy life. So, think of it this way, if you are experiencing a physical illness or injury, how do you feel? Do you feel ashamed of yourself? Do you blame yourself? Do you hide this from your peers and family members because you are embarrassed? No, you most likely would not blame yourself for a physical illness or injury, and you would most likely seek help and advice from trained professionals and close family and friends to deal with, and overcome this physical illness or injury. How is this any different from experiencing a mental illness, or struggling temporality with your own mental health? I would like to argue that it is no different at all, and that is why any negative stereotypes surrounding mental illness need to be objected.

In my opinion, it is socially acceptable in todays society to experience physical injuries or illnesses because it is considered, for the most part, out of ones control. The issue with this is that still, in todays society, mental illness is not fully accepted, and people are still being blamed for struggling with their own mental health. When making the comparison between mental and physical health, I do not mean to undermine, or not acknowledge the significance of the impact a physical illness or injury may have. Experiencing a physical injury or illness could definitely have a negative impact on ones mental health. The two cannot be completely isolated from one another, and that is why we, as a modern society, cannot view mental and physical health as two completely separate entities.

No matter who you are, how smart or athletic you are, or how loved you may be, no one is happy, or is expected to be happy and stress free all of the time. Everyone experiences hardships, and sometimes those who are under the most pressure to be the perfect student, or the perfect athlete are the ones who are struggling the most, but are too afraid to taint their image of perfection to seek help. By saying that, I am not attempting to create different categories of people who are more or less likely to struggle with mental health because as I previously mentioned, it does not matter who you are, everyone struggles with their own mental health, just like everyone struggles with their own physical health.

I believe that the differing views among society regarding physical and mental wellness may stem from the fact that physical struggles are, most often, more easily visible than mental struggles.  You can visibly see a broken leg, but you cannot see the emotional pain that someone who is struggling with their mental health is suffering through.

Mental health is hard to describe because there are so many different variations of struggle that someone may face. No matter what you are feeling or struggling through, no matter how big or small, it deserves attention, it deserves to be heard. Allow yourself to be vulnerable, and do not be afraid to ask for help, you may be surprised by how many people are willing to listen. There are so many resources out there to assist with improving and maintaining mental health.

As college students we can be very susceptible to struggling with our own mental health during our college career. At this age one may be consumed with how their peers, professors, and even their own parents perceive them. It is crucial that we recognize that struggling with mental health is not a sign of weakness, and it is not something to be ashamed of. No matter what you may be feeling, you must recognize that it is okay to experience these feelings.

Many tragedies, such as suicide, that may be the result of mental health struggles have a greater chance of being prevented with increased acceptance and awareness among society. You do not know what the person sitting next to you in class is feeling, you should not judge others, or fear the judgement of others.

Just remember that you are never alone in the battles that you face internally. There are always people that can provide advice, love, and resources to help fight your internal battles with you.

The Power of Routine

I am sure that all of you college students out there can relate to me when I say that getting back into a routine after moving back home for the summer is not an easy task. Healthy habits come naturally once you get yourself back into a structured daily routine.

For me personally, I have had way too much free time on my hands for the past couple of weeks. I am finally starting to work a lot more, so my free time is quickly dwindling, but it has been a struggle for me to get back into a routine with such a different schedule. At school my days were very structured, and I planned out almost every minute of each day, but now I wake up not knowing exactly how each day will go. Do I sound like a complete control freak yet?? Don’t worry, I’m working on that habit.

At first I loved the free time because all I wanted to do after finals week was relax, but after a couple of days I got tired of relaxing, and I wanted to get into a routine again. I began watching way too much TV, and eating when I wasn’t even hungry just out of boredom. This is an unhealthy habit that I have struggled with for a while. When I am bored or just watching TV, I just eat to eat. This is something that I hope to change this summer.

Last summer I got into a routine, but it was almost too extreme, and it became unhealthy. That is why I have been hesitant to really establish boundaries and habits for myself because I don’t want to get back to that place. I want to develop a healthy relationship with food and exercise, that is my goal for the summer.

Yesterday I decided that I needed to start living the way that I truly want to live. I went to  the gym with my sister, and showed her what I’ve been doing. We now have a pretty set summer workout plan that I truly enjoy. Then we went on a hike, and the view was amazing. I hope to post something about my workouts soon, and share what my goals are related to exercise and wellness. Today I filled out paperwork for my second job as a paraprofessional for a summer program at the middle school in my hometown. I am very excited about this job because it will help me manage my time better and develop as a person. I then went to Starbucks and did some research and planning for my semester abroad in Galway, Ireland. These are the kinds of days that make me happy because I am spending my time wisely, and I am making a conscious effort to the most out of each day.

No matter what kind of routine and habits you want to create for yourself, once you start and stick with it, it will become second nature. I want to enjoy my summer, but I also want to create a healthy routine for myself, and develop healthy habits that will stick with me. I encourage everyone to really think about what kind of lifestyle they want to live, and make it happen!

~AML

Endings And New Beginnings

As my sophomore year of college is coming to an end, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on how much I have changed over the years. Growing up is a scary concept that I’ve tried not to think about too much. You think that for the most part you’ll stay the same, and have the same goals and ideas about your future, but those things can change.

I believe that being self aware is a crucial part of being happy and confident. If you don’t understand yourself, how can you truly be happy? I am a flawed person, and I’ve made more mistakes over the past year and a half than I’m happy to admit, but I’m okay with that because I’ve grown a lot as a person. College is a place where you’re allowed to make mistakes and do stupid stuff once in a while. College is a place where you’re supposed to find yourself and discover your passions.

Healthy living in college has way more to do with ones mental and emotional stability than I once thought. It is so common to be depressed or have anxiety in college, and people are afraid to admit that. How do you expect to maintain your physical health if you are not healthy mentally or emotionally?

What I have learned over my past two years at college is that it is okay to make mistakes, and it is okay to be unhappy and overwhelmed at times. Most importantly, I have learned that it is okay to ask for help when you need it.

This year I have experienced the ending of my insecure and unconfident tendencies, and I have began to experience a more confident and happy person. I still struggle with insecurities, but I work everyday to overcome them. I am beginning to realize that life has so much to offer, and it is a waste of time to constantly worry about your weight, or worry about what others think of you.

No matter what it is, do what makes you happy. If you want to make a change that you think will make you happier, do it. Most importantly, live in the moment and cherish the time that you spend with friends and family.

Coping With Stress and Anxiety in College

College is something that every adult raves about. All you hear as a teen is that “college is the best four years of your life!” Well, sometimes I feel inclined to disagree. I know this might sound shocking to some, but there are a lot of things about college that I’m not so fond of.

College brings out the best and the worst of me. I work hard and it has paid off so far, but I have a strong tendency to gravitate towards stress and anxiety. Living a healthy lifestyle is about more than just nutrition and exercise, it also has a lot to do with mental wellness. Lately, I’ve been struggling to cope with the increasing amounts of stress that college has brought me.

I find myself crying at the end of some days because I am constantly worrying about financing my study abroad program for next semester, doing well in my classes, doing well at work, saving money, and so on. The problem is that I don’t need to be worrying as much as I do, I need to just do the best that I can, and know that my best is good enough.

Right now college is strange for me because I’m stuck between wanting to go back in time and wanting to graduate and move on with my life. I feel like I’m in this weird in between stage that I don’t know how to handle. Next year will be much better for me because I am studying abroad in Ireland in the fall, and then I am (finally) living in an apartment in the spring. Living in my own apartment and having my own personal space will finally make me feel independent, and I will have the freedom to cook my own meals and have my own bathroom. I know that these little things will make me much happier in the long run.

BUT don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day I know that I am happy to be a college student at UNH, but sometimes I allow my stress and anxiety to get the best of me. Living with anxiety is not enjoyable, and I’ve finally decided to accept it and really do something about it. I am starting to take all natural medication that is supposed to help me relax, and if that is not helping me, I am planning to visit my Doctor at home. Here are some tips that I am trying in order to cope with stress and anxiety, I hope they can be beneficial for others as well!

1. Be Mindful. Make a conscious effort to be mindful, and live in the present moment instead of worrying about the past or the future. This can be difficult because in this day and age people never really live in the present moment when they are always on their phones, or in my case, worrying. Just start to pay close attention to everything you do from washing your hands to eating, this will make everything you do more meaningful.

2. Do Something You Love Everyday. What makes you happy? Is it exercising, watching your favorite tv show, hanging out with friends? Whatever it is, DO IT! Personally, I love being by myself and listening to music. I love discovering new music, it helps me relieve stress and tension, and it makes me happy. I listen to music for at least an hour at night to help me unwind and fall asleep.

3. Know Your Limits. You know yourself better than anyone, so listen to your body. If you feel exhausted, stop studying and go to bed. If something that you are doing is overwhelming you and causing stress, cut back on that activity. Constantly pushing yourself to your limits can only harm your mental wellness in the long run.

4. Know When to Ask For Help. This can be hard for people to accept, and it is definitely hard for me to do. If you feel as though your stress level is increasing and that it is out of your control, talk to someone, anyone. I personally talk to my mom because she knows me the best. I also plan on talking to someone through the counseling center at my school to get an outside perspective on my own mental wellness. And let me tell you, there is nothing wrong with that! It can be really valuable to here another opinion, and get an experts advice.

College should be one of the best times in your life, but it will not always be that way. My advice to you is to do everything you can to stay balanced and happy while in college. There is no better time than now to discover yourself, and discover a balanced lifestyle.

~AML

Late Night Thinking (And Snacking)

After going on a nice 30 minute walk today I remembered how beneficial walking can be for your health. I wrote a blog post as a Healthy UNH Intern entitled “Walk Your Way Right Into A Healthier Life!” (Link on the bottom of the page). I highly suggest you read this post to discover all of the many benefits that walking for even 20 minutes a day can be for your overall health.

I was feeling somewhat lazy and tired today, so my twin sister suggested that we go on a short walk. This was perfect because I wasn’t really feeling an intense workout today. Walking with a buddy is always so much better than walking alone because you have someone to talk to.

As a college student there are many opportunities to be lazy and take the bus somewhere instead of walking. Even though it’s tempting, I suggest that instead of taking the bus to class or the dining hall, walk! Once you start it will become a habit.

So, I don’t know about you, but I have a problem with late night snacking. Why does this happen? Well honestly, it’s mostly out of boredom. I also eat dinner relatively early and stay up late, so I tend to get hungry right before bed.

Late night snacking is sometimes necessary, but it is not a healthy habit because when you eat late at night your body is not using the energy that the food is providing, so the food is stored. As I previously mentioned, late night snacks are sometimes necessary, so if you’re gonna do it, do it right!

1 cup of raspberries, 1/2 cup of mangos (both frozen), 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of almond milk, 1/4 cup of all natural oats.

This is my late night (around 9:00) snack! It’s a raspberry mango smoothie with water, almond milk, and oats. This is a healthy alternative to an unhealthy late night snack like candy or ice cream. This smoothie is yummy but not too heavy, so I don’t feel too full after drinking it. The best part about this smoothie is that it still satisfies my sweet tooth, and this is very important to me!

I also had a chance to experiment with a new meal for lunch today. I had a black bean veggie burger with salsa, and 1/2 of an avocado. It was filling and delicious!

Overall I had a very relaxing day, and I am excited to start a new workout routine tomorrow. I will be posting tomorrow about my new routine and how it impacts me physically and mentally.

Here is the link to my blog post about the benefits of walking: http://www.unh.edu/healthyunh/blog/physical-activity/2015/11/walk-your-way-right-healthier-life

~AML

Life On The Go

As a busy college student it can be hard to always make a conscious effort to eat well and stay healthy. Although it’s a challenge, I encourage everyone to find ways to sneak healthy habits into your busy days.

I’ve been home for break for almost a month now, and my life is still hectic and busy. I’ve been subbing at a high school, and working as a waitress. So you may be wondering how I create and keep healthy habits with so little time. I’m not going to lie and say it’s easy, or that I always stick with my healthy habits, but there are things I do to try to stay healthy.

Here are some tips for people like me who live their life on the go:

1. Create easy and healthy habits. When you have a moment of free time try to think about how you want to live. Once you create habits they WILL stick. For example, start drinking a cup of green tea at breakfast every morning. You could also set little goals for yourself, such as drinking at least 5 glasses of water a day or set aside 10 minutes in the morning to meditate. BUT if you cannot reach these goals everyday, it is important to not feel upset, and remember that they are only little and minor goals.
2. Understand your daily environment. How does your daily environment make you feel? What are the temptations that you face in your environment? And how does your body physically respond to this environment? It is important to ask yourself these questions, and to know how to be in control of your environment. For example, while I am at home waitressing I face anxiety, stress, temptations, and a physical toll on my body. Once I understand how this work environment impacts my body I can make an effort to deal with these factors.
3. Always remember what makes you happy. Stay true to yourself. Do one thing that makes you happy every single day. Listening to music helps me relieve stress and tension. I listen to music every night before I sleep, and it makes me feel centered and happy. For some people exercising has a similar effect. Whatever it may be, I challenge you do make time to do something important to YOU everyday.

Although it’s never easy to stay happy, stress free, and healthy when it feels like the days go by faster and faster as the years go on, it is important to at least try. I could easily grab all of the yummy and greasy food that surrounds me at work, but instead I try to stick to the filling veggie options. It would also be easy for me to let the stress and anxiety of everyday life get the best of me, but instead I do my best to try and notice my triggers and take steps to lower my stress levels.

I’m not perfect, no one is, but I really do feel great when I do little things to improve my lifestyle. I challenge YOU to make an effort to still live your life on the go, but live it in a new and improved way!

Check out one of my blogs that I wrote as a Healthy UNH intern related to improving your mental wellness by copying this link: http://www.unh.edu/healthyunh/blog/mental-wellness/2015/09/mental-wellness-and-its-vital-role-everyday-adult-life

~AML

No Labels, No Obessions

Hello Followers! I’m sorry that I abandoned you once summer ended, but I had a very busy semester at college. I was an Intern for Healthy UNH and as an intern I was in charge of writing a blog every week regarding nutrition, physical activity, mental wellness, or healthcare consumerism. I also attended school events with the other interns to inform students about ways to live a healthier lifestyle using campus resources. This internship was a great experience for me even though I’m not a nutrition or a communications major because it made me realize that there is so much more to living a healthy lifestyle than the way you eat.

Recently I decided to read through all of my posts to find motivation, and to understand the mindset that I had during the summer. What I realized by reading some my previous posts was that I started with very good intentions and I slowly became a little obsessed with clean eating and becoming a vegan. That’s how it goes. We all start with good intentions, but sometimes we go too far and our goal to become healthier ends up creating an unhealthy lifestyle.

I came across an instagram account this morning, and it was an account run by a girl who is about my age. This account was about fitness and healthy eating, and the picture that stood out to me was the one she posted last night. It was a picture of a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I read the caption and it motivated me because she discussed how she was previously labeling herself as a vegan and she realized that her goal was to live a balanced lifestyle, but restricting yourself completely from major foods is not balance. She said that she will stick to a mainly plant based diet, but not label herself as a vegan anymore. I’ve decided that I refuse to label myself in any way. For me, I think that a vegetarian or vegan label put too much pressure on me, and I began to restrict myself in unhealthy ways.

I’ve realized that mental wellness, physical activity, and nutrition are all key factors in living a healthy lifestyle. I’ve been working out 3-5 days a week, and it has been very important to me to not feel guilty if I can’t make it to the gym, or if I’m just not in the mood to go. I have also been making a conscious effort to change my mindset regarding eating healthy and working out. Instead of doing it to lose weight, I’m doing it to remain healthy and active. The number on the scale shouldn’t matter, the way you feel should.

I hate the whole “New Year, New Me!” movement. It’s a new year, but I’m not changing who I am. New years do give me motivation to reboot and restart, but I’m not going to become obsessed with anything, or label myself anymore.

2016 will be a year of successes, strides, failures, and setbacks. I’m ready for anything this year has in store, and I feel a sense of freedom by taking this new approach to living a healthy lifestyle. Last night I ate a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and guess what? I don’t feel guilty, I really don’t. It doesn’t mean that I am unhealthy or fat, and I can’t think that way anymore.

The obsessing and labeling days are over. I will be posting about my nutritional and workout habits and how that impacts my mental and physical health. The purpose of this blog is to inspire others to live healthier lives without creating unhealthy habits.

I’m excited to take on this journey, and become happier and healthier.

~AML

Not Just a Vegan Blog

I know that I have been posting many things about my transition into the vegan lifestyle, but this is not just a vegan blog. The goal of this bog is to help others achieve an overall healthy lifestyle.

I have been very focused on trying to become a vegan, and I do truly believe that this change will help me achieve a healthier life. Although what you put into your body greatly contributes to your overall health, there’s more to it than that.

Physical health means more than just eating healthy. People tend to underestimate the importance of physical activity when trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle. I believe the reason for this is the whole 80% diet, 20% exercise phenomenon. It is true, when you want to lose weight eating right can be proven to show the best results. BUT you need a balance between eating right and exercising to maintain a healthy life.

I have recently started getting into some weight training. I go to the gym about five days a week, and I work a different muscle group each day. I also do a little bit of cardio each day. Even just walking for 20 minutes everyday can really improve your health.

It is also very important to remember that mental and emotional health are just as important as physical health. You could be exercising and eating right everyday, but are you really happy? Do you surround yourself with positive people? Do you like your job? Do you get enough sleep/rest? Are you stressed? These are all important questions that you need to ask yourself. If your mental and emotional needs aren’t being met, you are not living an overall healthy lifestyle.

I hope to not only focus on the vegan aspect of my life because I want to help, and relate to as many people as possible. This blog is about improving all aspects of life, not just physical health.