Stressed or Depressed? You are not alone. 10 Ways to Stay Solid during Challenging Times:

Pandemics can be extremely stressful. We are isolated from our friends and family. There is a lack of structure for many of us - maybe we are out of work and unemployed or for students- unable to go to class or school in person. There is a fear that we will get sick or our loved ones will. There is money or income insecurity and a lot of uncertainty of the future. Not to mention our country is going through a lot, from a lack of leadership (cough Trump) to racial inequalities and injustices that have been going on for centuries - but cannot go on any longer.

Do you find yourself over whelmed by the news? Does it make you feel sad, angry, depressed or anxious? Do you notice you want to sleep more or have trouble sleeping? Have you changed your eating habits? Are you stress eating? Or turning to alcohol or other drugs? You are not alone! Don't give up! As hard as these times are, we can all get through this.

Here are some tips we put together to help:

1. Take a deep breathe in through your nose. Hold it.... breathe out S L O W L Y. Do this a few times. According to WebMD, "Your breathe is a powerful tool to ease stress and make you feel less anxious. Some simple breathing exercises can make a big difference if you make them part of your regular routine."

2. Set limits on how much time you spend reading or watching news. While staying up to date with what is going on is good, it can increase stress and anxiety. What type of content makes you happy? Is it Sports? Movies? Fashion? Pet videos? Funny memes? Video games? Turn off the depressing news and give yourself a break of good content that makes you laugh or brings you joy!

3. Focus on things that are going well and that you can control. They say there are two things you can control: (1) your attitude and (2) your effort. So what if you feel nothing is going well? Are you breathing? Are you healthy? Those 2 things in themselves are something to be thankful for. When things are going badly, try to take a step back and focus on gratitude instead. What can you be grateful for? Keeping a positive attitude is not easy, but it's the effort that matters. You will be shocked to realize when you try a little bit harder to have a positive mindset, the effects it has on you and everything around you.

4. Get your body moving! With most gyms closed, getting exercise is more challenging, but it's still possible. YouTube has some great free videos for home workouts with no equipment needed. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. They trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. According to WebMD. "Regular exercise has been proven to: reduce stress, ward off anxiety and feelings of depression, boost self-esteem, and improve sleep!" So what are you waiting for?

5. Listen to music that makes you happy! When you listen to music you like, dopamine, a "feel-good hormone" is released studies show.

6. Get some fresh air. It's summer time, so the weather is pretty good. Whether you like running, hiking or prefer neither, just getting outside for a 10 minute walk is better than nothing.

7. Start a new hobby! Maybe you want to paint, or learn how to cook new recipes? Maybe you want to make arts & crafts and sell them on Etsy? Want to learn new things? There are 100's of free classes online from HowStuffWorks, Khan Academy for kids/teens, Class Central's list of free certificates from Coursera, and Parade Magazine came up with a good list with links: here.

8. Do something for others. It is amazing how much better we feel after helping someone else. Does you closet have clothes or shoes that you don't wear or do not plan on wearing anymore? Get rid of the clutter and donate it to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army or find someone who does want it. Not only are you cleaning up your own space, but you are potentially giving to someone in need. Other ways to get involved: helping an elderly neighbor with groceries or baby sitting your neighbors kids so they can get some time off. Get creative! The US Postal Service is dealing with a serious budget deficit and crisis. Do you have parents or grandparents who live far away? Buy some stamps and write them hand-written letters- I promise you they will appreciate them more than you know! There are lots of ways to help others, especially when you realize that even the little things can make a big difference!

9. Be proactive in reaching out to family and friends. It's easy to stay isolated and remain distant during these times. But it does not have to be that way. Being connected to others, even virtually, raises Oxycontin which is one of the "happy hormones." Zoom gives everyone free accounts for 40 minute sessions. Maybe you make weekly family or friend times during a certain day of the week or time? There's also Facetime, House Party, a social distance hike/walk outside, or other options.

10. Do not be afraid to tell people how you feel. You are not alone and should not feel that way! Chances are more of your friends and family are feeling very similar thoughts during this time. As you tell others about how you feel, be willing to listen, too, since more than likely others need someone to talk to as well.

Don't forget to stay solid! Tough times do not last. If anything, this is making us stronger along the way and making us appreciate the little things we used to enjoy (like not wearing masks) that we did not appreciate. There will be better times ahead of us. Sending love and positive vibes.

Do not hesitate to reach out to us on IG: @solidbrandapparel and feel free to DM us if you need someone to talk to.

Some other resources from the CDC.Gov:

Get immediate help in a crisis

• Call 911
• Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish), or text TalkWithUs for English or Hablanos for Spanish to 66746. Spanish speakers from Puerto Rico can text Hablanos to 1-787-339-2663.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chat
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
• National Child Abuse Hotlin: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or Online Chat 
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chat

By: Leslie A. Strauss 

Co-founder of Solid Brand, Inc./Solid Brand Apparel, Leslie spends much of her free time reading and watching sports. She has found the COVID-19 pandemic to be extremely challenging and stressful, but has been trying to implement these 10 suggestions into her daily life. She just graduated in June with her Masters in Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management where she and her classmate David Gukasyan came up with Crewtify (Crewtify.com) to bring people together virtually for digital dance parties to live streams of festivals/artists/concerts #BetterTogether.  Leslie also has her Bachelor's from University of Southern California, where she studied business and broadcast journalism.