 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
By: Leslie A. StraussCo-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.
0 Comments
This year we wanted to do something solid for Valentine's Day. We used the "solid giveback fund" along with generous personal donations to make Valentine's Day Bags for the women at the Downtown Women's Center. DWC is a nonprofit in downtown LA who helps homeless women get off the streets and back into the work force. They provide supportive housing and a safe community that fosters dignity, respect, and personal stability. Their mission is to advocate ending homelessness for women so they provide many services including computer skills, job training, etc. Each year, DWC provides - 100,000 meals - 40,000 changes of clothes (3,000 loads of laundry) - 20,000 showers Inside the "Solid Bags" we included a Valentine's Day card, candy, and snacks along with personal hygiene and personal care products like tooth brushes, hair ties, hair combs, chapstick, hand sanitizer, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, makeup and feminine products . ❤️   We also collected gently worn clothes to donate to the Downtown Women's Center as well. Stephanie Lee set the personal record for 15 bags of clothes, shoes and purses.  It was a "solid Sunday" indeed! None of this would have been possible without the continued support of those who purchase the clothing line and our friends Raquel and Stephanie.
We hope that more people join us in the Solid Movement to stay solid and giveback! - Leslie Strauss Solid Brand Inc., Director of Business Operations.
 Challengers Boys & Girls Club Member, Larod Jones, Sophomore at Dorsey HS in Los Angeles. Congratulations to Larod Jones (Soph. - Dorsey HS, Los Angeles) for receiving Solid Brand's first athletic scholarship to NBA All Star Paul George's 3rd Annual Summer Skills Camp in Sun Valley, CA. I had the pleasure of coaching and teaching Larod during my time working as Athletic Director at Challengers Boys & GIrls Club. I watched him grow & mature over the years into a solid young man. He spends his early mornings, days and late nights in the gym putting in extra work, always eager and willing to go the extra mile to be better. His hard work and dedication are the reason why we chose him to be the recipient of our first athletic scholarship. Thank you to all of our supporters, you make this possible. Stay solid! Since the launch of Solid Brand Apparel, the solid team has been all about steady building and refining. We have been problem solving and learning new things about running our business and we're so thankful for all our supporters who have copped their Solid Brand Apparel! We are a team of young and ambitious individuals, with a solid cause and purpose. We aren't where we want to be, but we know that we're going to get there with hard work, patience, persistence & relentless faith in our vision that fuels this brand. Today, the Solid Team is going to visit Challengers Boys & Girls Club and bring food to feed all the kids including the staff who practically raise these kids every day when they swipe their member badge and check into after school program. You supporters have made this possible so THANK YOU in being solid!  Challengers Boys & Girls Club is located in the heart of South Central LA  A few weeks ago Solid Brand & Subway teamed up to provide free food for all the members & staff. This is the purpose behind our brand!   I'd like to thank everyone who supported solid since day one, including my team! We're still in the beginning of our journey in fashion for a cause but continue to follow us as we learn our way by trial & error! We would love to hear your feedback about our brand/product so we can better serve our supporters, you make our vision possible! We are flawed but what matters is that we still remain solid no matter what. Do good & be better.
Support the movement. Follow us on Twitter @SolidBrand Instagram @SolidBrandApparel Facebook Page Solid Brand Apparel & Pintrest @SolidBrand Thankful, ekwDesigns |
AuthorsEmily K. Williams Archives
August 2020
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed