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Well-being is what kicks you forward

Next week, week 42 to be exact, is again organized a Well-being week in our Lappeenranta campus. During the week there will be plenty of things to do: webinars, discussions, open doors to gyms and group exercises, a visit to a church and what else!

The well-being is important, but that you already knew. It’s what gets you up in the morning and kicks you forward. It brings you energy and a happier mind. And yea – strength. It brings you strength, which we all need in our daily life.

When the Autumn kick-started, I unexpectedly found myself in a situation where I had either underestimated the workload I had gathered for me or overestimated my strength (most likely both). I was in a situation where I had to split in two places at the same time, both mentally and physically. You know the feeling, when you do know that the deadline is already knocking your door, but the stress makes your mind numb and your brain hit empty? Yup, that feeling didn’t help a lot in my chaos calendar.

Maybe that’s why the Well-being week is organized approximately one month after staring our studies again. When the exam week is in two weeks, and we haven’t even yet oriented ourselves to studying but rather our minds keep wandering in summer holiday or summer job continued as a part-time. The beginning of October is the best time to find a new hobby or thing to do, which enhances our well-being. The orientation weeks may have also neglected our well-being, so it’s time to restart that regular gym schedule and also remember to relax between all hassle and rush.

Well-being is different for everyone. For one of my friends, it’s the weekly choir practice, where she can “just sing, not think anything else”. Another of my friends enjoys her nightly walking by the lake Saimaa, and for me, right now, it’s mostly stopping. Stopping to hear my thoughts and feel my emotions, calming down and thus that controlling my feelings. Sometimes it’s also half a chocolate bar and four light comedy movies in a row, no way anything to “improve myself”. Well-being is everything, which brings you good feelings, no matter how much it improves you, how regularly you do it, how healthy it is or what other people think about it. Sure, for someone it could be a glass of something, but I doubt that would only bring quick and short satisfaction compared to a little bit of outdoor air.

So, take good care of your well-being! Make time to you calendar for things that really actually bring you joy and lasting satisfaction, not only fast bucks. Try out new things, and don’t dismiss them based on your prejudice, and also grad on things that work for you. Because when you body and mind is working well, suddenly the daily life is working too, and you don’t need a day with 36 hours anymore.

And even if it feels like 24 hours isn’t enough, remember, that you are enough. Every single day, you are enough. Even when you miss two deadlines because of that 4-movie-marathon. You are enough. 

Meerimaria Ketokulta

The author is a board member of LTKY, who has a tendency to develop too many ideas and actually execute them too often.

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