How to Find the Balance in Your Physical and Mental Health

In order to achieve a healthy balance, you must know when you need to address specific challenges and barriers. There is a difference between the two so knowing their definitions will help you determine what type of approach you should take when solving them. 

A barrier can be seen as a literal object blocking access to something like a fence around a house.  When talking about the different obstacles you’ll come across in life, a barrier can act just like that fence to block your life journey (like how a deficiency of education can be a barrier to your success).

According to dictionary.com, a challenge is defined as “something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore tests a person's ability”.  It can be seen as something that needs to be overcome to achieve success. Some of the challenges that people face in life are lack of support from others, lack of clear goals, and a lack of self-discipline.

However, there are also some  specific challenges that can impact self-growth even more, such as:

1. Having a serious physical or mental health condition - Whether a physical or a mental crisis, a serious health condition can can partially or completely stop your progress on self growth.
2. Financial struggles – Most people have financial challenges at some point in their lives, but for some, they occur often, which can be a burden.
3. Friendship struggles - Throughout our lives, we will have friends that come and go. Some relationships may be hard to leave behind, which can place a weight on our hearts.
4. School or job issues - Whether you are having a hard time trying to pass your math class or trying to nail a project at your job, difficulties can arise that seem almost impossible to get through.
5. Experiencing discrimination - Communicating about being treated unfairly or having moral and ethical violations can be difficult. Keeping this inside can negatively affect the way we behave.

Even though problems like these can be overwhelming, just remember that barriers in life do not define you. Rather, the way in which you handle them do! Every day, every hour, and every minute is a new opportunity, and trust me... I can relate to taking it “one day at a time”,  because as a college student - I do!

Here are some steps on how to work through challenges life throws at you:

1. Don't complain with no action - It is okay to open up to those you trust for support or advice on life challenges, but do not make it a habit with no action to solve them.
2. Face them head-on - Stalling to avoid solving challenges can create bigger challenges that can further set you back.
3. Try to keep a positive mindset – Focusing on the positive outcomes of a challenge can help you solve it. Fixating on the negative can prevent you from trying.
4. Be realistic with yourself - If you are not ready to proceed with a different route in life, work on yourself first instead of rushing into that decision.
5. Don't try to compete against others - There is only one person you should be focused on—you! Do not depend on other people’s life stories or achievement timelines to make yours.
6. Remember to practice good communication - Openly communicating with those close to you and involved in difficult situations gives everyone a chance to have their point of view explained. Great minds can only succeed together if they are all on the same page.
7. Tackle in bite sizes - Facing a tough challenge in life can seem like it’ll take your whole life to get through, but taking the challenge piece by piece, smaller challenge by smaller challenge, will eventually solve the big one altogether.