Friendship is among the best things in life, especially during middle school. Reflecting on my relationships, I believe that I must be a better and more dependable friend. This is something that matters a lot to me because good friendships provide support, happiness, and belongingness. I believe that by improving my friendship skills, I can positively influence my friendships and earn other people’s trust.
- Recently, I caught myself cutting off my friends as they spoke. To correct this, I made a conscious effort to listen carefully. For instance, while talking with my friend Sarah about how she was doing poorly in math class, I put my phone away and kept eye contact, which made her feel heard and valued.
- Before, I’ve let down friends since I forgot that I had made arrangements with them. To improve, I started using a planner. Last week, I did not forget to visit my friend for a study session since I had noted it down. She liked me for being responsible, and I was proud too.
- I want to be present for my friends when they need me. When my friend was down because of a family issue, I called her using a text message and asked if she wanted to talk or just spend time together. I invited her out for ice cream, and it actually cheered her up. She mentioned she was thankful that I assisted her, and our friendship grew stronger.
Reflecting on my wish to be a good and dependable friend, I realize that it requires effort and commitment. I chose this aspiration because I value my friendships and want to have them strong and supportive. Through active listening, being reliable, and offering support, I’ve already seen the changes in my relationships. Nevertheless, I am aware that there would be challenges that come my way, like finding it difficult to juggle my time between friends and school or feeling shy sometimes in calling them. Nevertheless, I believe that through these challenges, I can be the friend I wish to be. Ultimately, I would like my friends to perceive me as a good and trustworthy friend who will always stick with them.
In the mental health unit, one of the key issues we discussed was body image and its close relationship with mental health. We discussed how media portrayals and societal expectations create unrealistic ideals of appearance that can significantly impact an individual’s self-esteem and overall mental health.
I used to think that body image issues were something that afflicted only a small amount of people, but I now realize that they are common and reach into the lives of individuals from all backgrounds. Of particular focus was the influence of social media. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok emphasize filtered and edited images that define beauty in narrow terms. Seeing these kinds of comparison everywhere has the potential to promote feelings of dissatisfaction. Many of my classmates discussed feeling personally related and felt like they had to look a certain way after being exposed to influencers who seem to fit into these ideals. This was eye-opening; it revealed just how relevant these feelings are, especially in young people.
We also covered the psychological impacts of negative body image. I was able to realize that anxiety and depression, for example, can be caused by an inability to accept oneself. I used to think that negative body image was a phase that some individuals pass through, but I now understand that it can have serious, long-lasting effects. We studied how eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, are generally brought on by a skewed view of one’s body, promoted by societal pressures. Hearing from individuals who have lived through these strife was compelling and made it clear that these are not simply intellectual ideas; they affect the lives of real human beings.
In addition to coming to an understanding of the problem, we also talked about how to promote a more positive body image. Among the most significant strategies was the cultivation of self-love, learning to appreciate our bodies for their function rather than their form. Journaling and affirmations are some of the exercises that can redirect negative thinking. I found this useful, as it addressed the importance of developing a positive internal affirmations.
This unit made me reflect on my own body image attitudes and my speech. I had never considered that throwing off-handed comments about my own body was damaging, but I can see now how those words can lead to negative attitudes. I’m more aware now of the potency of these words and how they can affect others around us. Since our classmates taught me the common signs of anxiety, eating disorders, ocd, etc. I found that I overused a lot of the words, one thing that stood out to me in the presentation was the OCD presentation, it was new to me as I thought it was a rare disorder but a lot of celebrities have it.
Overall, this exploration of the mental health unit reinforced the belief that mental health education must address these issues. By promoting a culture of acceptance and open dialogue about body image, we can oppose the negative impact of societal pressures. This revelation about body image and mental health has truly inspired me to become a more empathetic individual.
Julia Lee B2 Health
I used a sleep app called Rise, I used it every day for 7 nights to maximize my free trial, today in this portfolio post I will be talking about my experience with Rise.
My Experience with RISE
Using the RISE app has been a helpful experience for me, particularly in managing my sleep and energy levels. Here’s how it has impacted my daily life.
Improving Sleep Habits
Before using RISE, I often had inconsistent sleep patterns. The app helped me understand my circadian rhythm better and identify optimal times for sleep and wakefulness. By aligning my activities with my energy peaks and dips, I noticed some improvement in my sleep quality. This, in turn, seemed to help my prefrontal cortex function slightly better, allowing me to make clearer decisions and manage stress a bit more effectively.
RISE’s ability to track sleep debt and provide personalized recommendations has been particularly useful. It calculates how much sleep I owe my body and offers tailored advice on how to pay it back, which has helped me reduce my sleep debt over time.
Emotional Awareness
I’ve become more aware of how my sleep affects my emotions. When I’m well-rested, my amygdala seems less reactive, meaning I’m less likely to feel anxious or stressed. RISE’s insights have encouraged me to practice mindfulness about my sleep habits. By being more mindful, I’ve become better at recognizing when I’m feeling triggered—more easily upset or annoyed—and take steps to manage those emotions.
Reducing Negativity Bias
While I still have days where I focus on the negative, using RISE has helped me be more aware of my negativity bias. When I’m well-rested, I tend to have a slightly more positive outlook, which is beneficial for my mood and overall well-being.
Reducing Coffee Consumption
One practical benefit of using RISE has been a reduction in my coffee consumption. By managing my energy levels more effectively, I’ve found that I need less caffeine to stay alert during the day. This not only saves me money but also helps me avoid the jitters and anxiety that can come with too much caffeine. RISE’s caffeine cutoff time feature has been particularly helpful in this regard, reminding me when to stop consuming caffeine to ensure a better night’s sleep. While also helping me save money.
My own experience
While using rise, it said my free trial was until march 3rd, however, I opened it on march 1st and it said that my trial has ended, this was a tech problem that I faced. Additionally, even though I paid for the app, it still made me pay more additional money for the features that i have been using. Eg, The workouts and melatonin window feature
Conclusion
Overall, RISE has been a useful tool for improving my sleep habits and energy management with the added benefit or saving money on starbucks. While it hasn’t transformed my life dramatically, it has provided valuable insights that help me make small but meaningful changes to my daily routine. The app’s focus on sleep debt and circadian rhythm has been especially beneficial, helping me optimize my daily activities and improve my overall well-being.
no pun intended
Teenagers pre-frontal cortex is still advancing over their teenage years, that means they don’t have a fully capable sense of decisions, meaning it is easy to blindly make decisions that can impact their futures. Mindfulness can be a way to relieve their stress. It can especially be important as the amygdala can easily get triggered and lead to anxiety which for teens, becomes a stress factor. I got these sources from every class as we often us the wellness compass to identify where we can have room for improvement. One thing we can proceed is to slowly take steps back and rethink our actions, known as a negativity bias.