Everyone faces pressure in life, and the pressure faced varies in level. For
adults, stress may come from family, financial, or career problems, while for
teenagers, stress may relate to studies, relationships with friends, or family
issues. Some people see stress as a source of success and happiness, while
others see it as a source of suffering and misery, leading to the end of life.
As a student, I also face pressure from various factors, especially academic
factors. Therefore, before things get worse, I have taken some steps to deal
with stress.
A busy life often makes us forget activities that are beneficial for our
physical, mental, and psychological health. Such activities are leisure
activities, which are often done during free time, especially on weekends. Some
of the leisure activities that I often do are cycling, jogging, playing soccer,
playing badminton, strolling in the park, and fishing. After playing soccer or
badminton, for example, besides sweating, I will feel exhausted. After taking a
shower and cleaning up, I will rest to relieve the fatigue. Things will get
better when I can close my eyes. Due to the exhaustion after leisure activities,
I will sleep very soundly. Temporary forget all the problems that burden me.
Pressure will then avoid me and my mind will become clear. There are times when
I do leisure activities with my parents. I take full advantage of this golden
opportunity by talking about personal or academic problems that often give me
stress. That is why I consider leisure activities as a two-edged sword that
helps improve my health and reduce stress.I truly believe that our way of
thinking greatly affects our health, especially mental health. Thus, to ensure I
have good health without facing stress, I always think positively when faced
with critical and difficult situations. When receiving praise, I do not boast
about it, instead, I will think about whether the praise is sincerely given or
given to me because there's a hidden agenda. It's possible that the praise is
given simply or if not, I still accept it as a recognition. However, if
criticism or reprimand is given, I will accept it with an open mind and consider
it as constructive criticism. My mother often reminds me that the criticism
given by someone is actually more sincere and has a value of honesty compared to
praise which is usually false. Behind the received criticism, I will reflect on
myself and improve all the shortcomings so that I don't receive the same
criticism in the future. If I can't accept the criticism, my thoughts will
become unsteady and chaotic, and eventually, I will be caught in a situation of
excessive stress. As a result, I always face stress with a positive mindset.
I am a music lover, whether it's local or international music. If I don't hear
music through a CD, there is still music in my soul that makes my feet move. For
me, music brings happiness and cheerfulness, although sometimes it also brings
sadness and grief. This is consistent with the views of psychologists that music
is one of the most effective therapy forms and a source of mental peace that is
often overlooked. When music plays, my heart will be swept away by its melody,
so unconsciously, I feel like I'm in another world. Upbeat music will make my
feet move, while sentimental music will make me feel swept away by my emotions.
A melancholic art, as they say, contributes to a high appreciation, as if I am
also feeling the sorrow experienced by the singer. If stress burdens my
emotions, unconsciously, I have temporarily forgotten the stress with the help
of music. This is consistent with the words of poets who quote that music cannot
be separated from the soul of every human. Without music, life will be dull.
Therefore, music not only provides entertainment to the heart, but also has a
magical power that is capable of reducing the stress I face, consistent with the
meaning of the proverb "to kill two birds with one stone."
I also use worship as one way to reduce the stress I face. Every day I will
perform prayer, at least five times a day because prayer is the pillar of
religion. When I don't perform prayer, this means my religion collapses. Indeed,
prayer gives peace that I cannot express in words. Concentrated prayer will make
me forget all the stress I face, and I can feel how close I am to the Creator.
The soul feels calm and peaceful, the heart also becomes clean. It is true as
once said by a healthy lifestyle speaker, Mr. Norhisham Mustaffa, that prayer is
the most powerful exercise to give the best health for our body. When bowing and
prostrating, blood will flow more perfectly in our body. Similarly, when I sit
between two prostrations and sit in the beginning and end tahyat, the position
of my body and toes provide an effective exercise form. After performing prayer,
I will recite zikr that is able to cleanse and provide peace to the heart and
soul. I am very aware and realizing that only Allah can help me in everything.
That is why I make worship as the best effort to avoid and reduce the stress I
face.
Traveling is a very much awaited family activity. Every year my father and
mother will take me and my sibling to travel abroad. So far, we have visited
Indonesia, China, Cambodia, and India besides traveling domestically. To be
honest, every time I travel I can feel excitement and happiness that allows me
to forget all the problems that haunt my mind. Indirectly, the stress that
disturbs my mind originating from the problems I face can I overcome or at least
forget for a moment. When traveling, I can enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of
other countries' landscapes while increasing knowledge about the culture and
history of the country, coinciding with the meaning of the proverb a long
journey broadens the view, gains many experiences. When visiting Solo and
Yogyakarta in Java, Indonesia, for example, I can witness the uniqueness of
their culture even though we are still within the same Malay region. Their dance
art is very fine and captivating based on the movement of their fingers, legs,
and body with the accompaniment of the melodious gamelan music. The custom in
the palace is still maintained for tourist viewing although the royal system of
government is no longer practiced in the republic. The uniqueness of Borobudur
Temple is very impressive with its very fine arts. The overall activities during
traveling, including shopping sessions, help me forget all the stress I face.
In conclusion, there are various efforts that I do to face the stress in life.
Whatever happens, whether I like it or not, I have to face all the existing
stress in life and find a way to overcome it. By performing prayer and
traveling, I can reduce the stress I face and feel calm and peaceful. The
efforts I make are not only for myself but also for my family who always support
and encourage me in facing the challenges in life. |
