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Blog #1 by Abby Shapiro

Why Are We Talking About This

Navigating your mind and body can be difficult, and the even more difficult thing is creating a healthy mind and body. Throughout our website, we will be calling attention to not only mental health, but also physical health, and the ways to improve one’s mind and body to avoid the bad effects of an unhealthy person, both physically and mentally. We will provide inspiration through quotes and strategies to keep yourself motivated even through hardships. We will also inform and call attention to the stigma around mental health, and why it is so important to put a bigger focus on it. We aspire to influence others to try to change their lives, and make their life worth living, and to do this you need a healthy mind and lifestyle. We hope to give not only teenagers, but anyone who needs help, a healthy outlet to go to that will leave a positive impact on people’s lives forever.

“Teen mental health isn’t something that is trending on instagram—it’s a real, everyday struggle shaped by stress, pressure, isolation, and uncertainty, and it’s time we start talking about it.” The first step to develop a healthy mind with good mental health, is to just talk about it. No matter how smart you are, every teenager deals with some type of stress or anxiety. High school is full of academic pressure, and social pressure with making new friends and finding their way. Along with all of these pressures, teenagers struggle with finding themselves sometimes and just fitting in. Just having a simple conversation with someone you trust about these feelings, can make a huge difference. Keeping these emotions and anxiety in, will never lead to a healthy body or mind. Mental health is not something to be ashamed of. It is something that everyone experiences and deals with, but it’s how you deal with it that will determine the type of person you are.

I pride myself on being a good listener. Whether my friends are upset about sports, stress, relationships, family, or anything I am always there to listen and be a shoulder to cry on. In my opinion, good mental health equals being a good listener. If you are able to sit back and truly listen to someone speak, then you are not only improving your mental health, but also theirs. When I listen to someone speak about something they are passionate or upset about, I am not thinking of my next response. I am genuinely listening to them, and trying to understand and engage with what they are saying. Talking about your feelings and thoughts isn’t something that people are always good at, but good mental health always starts with good listening.

Blog #3 by Maya Porat

From Procrastination to Preservation

It is so easy to get addicted to stress. When talking about stress to someone, their first reaction is usually that they hate being stressed and it gives them anxiety. However, they forget that being stressed can feel good in the moment. A problem that I struggle with is procrastination. I put off completing tasks, even super simple and quick ones, until the absolute last minute because I am used to the exhilaration of working super fast to finish and the satisfaction of reaching the goal just in time. In fact, I even did it with this blog. Although I am nowhere close to being the most efficient worker, I am trying to recognize my patterns and work to fix them in order to make myself happier.

Last year, as a sophomore in high school, I struggled a lot with managing my time, and it impacted my mental health. Asides for procrastination, I also spent too much time on things that did not make me happy and only stressed me out more. These factors contributed to me not spending time on my health. I barely ate lunch for the entire year because I would be too distracted to pack it, and when I did, it was junk food.

Coming into junior year, I knew that I would not be able to handle the workload unless I changed my habits. A word that resonated with me when thinking about this year was preservation. I wanted to stop doing things that I knew did not make me happy. So, I stopped taking classes and doing extracurriculars that I did not like and only did because of other’s expectations. Instead, I put that energy into activities that actually interest me as I explore what truly makes me happy. I now pack lunch and try to find the time every day in school to sit down and relax for a little to enjoy it. Prioritizing my time has left me with more motivation and energy this year. I definitely still struggle with time management, but making small progress gradually makes it easier. If my problems sound similar to yours, there is not a quick fix to completely change the way our brains were wired, but identifying the problem is the first step to fixing it. In order to practice self preservation, you have to be vulnerable with yourself. Everyone is on a different journey, so only comparison with yourself will lead to progress.

Blog #5 by Molly Baskies

New Year, New You

As we approach the new year, I think about how I can use this time to start a new chapter of my life. I begin to think about the Spring of my Junior year of high school and I know that things will start to get hectic as I think about college and my final grades. College tours, SAT exams, ACT exams – it can all be overwhelming and daunting for teenagers, especially for me. I have to take time for myself and keep myself organized. Creating a list of things that will help my physical health and mental health are very important as the new year approaches. I think about Rosh Hashanah as more of the new year because it typically coincides with the start of the new school year, but the traditional calendar brings different goals and fresh starts.

One thing I am carrying with me into the new year is my perseverance. I think that at this point it is important for me to see things through. When school is difficult – especially my current course load – I think about how determined I am to finish strong and keep my eyes set on the college goal. I have to persevere through the hard times with friends and classes – it can be a difficult juggle at times but the balance is key. Seeing things through and practicing this now will help me when I am living independently.

When my great aunt passed away – I went with my parents to the unveiling and I thought about all the things that were said at the graveside. Hearing all the stories that were shared about celebrating Jewish holidays and family connections at that time made me realize what a nice tradition it is a year after someone passes away. This Jewish tradition is something I reflected on this year. It was the first time I was exposed to this tradition and it led me to reflect on family time and the importance of connections – even with more distant relatives.

One piece of advice in the new year is to stay organized and take time for yourself and family. My parents often think I spend too much time snapping and scrolling. I think that this is true for most kids my age. Try to take time to disconnect from the phone and be present – like I was during Aunt Nomi’s unveiling.