CHILL LAB 超正常研究室 – 關注青少年的精神健康,讓參加者覺察及表達當下的情緒並調適自己

Outdoor Activities Help Relieve stress

The modern urban life in Hong Kong is full of stress, both children and adults face varying degrees of stress. When emotions come, have you ever thought ofhow to deal with them? Going outdoors is one of the effective ways to help us relieve stress.

 

Outdoor activities have many stress-relieving benefits, here are some of the main reasons:

 

*Healing brought by natural environment*: Contact with nature can make people feel relaxed and reduce anxiety and stress. Research shows that natural scenery can improve people’s mood and reduce psychological burden.

2. *Physical exercise*: Outdoor activities are often accompanied by physical exercise.

Exercise releases endorphins, chemicals that can elevate mood and reduce feelings of stress.

 

3. *Social interaction*: Outdoor activities with friends or family can help strengthen social connections, provide emotional support, and make people feel more secure.

 

4. *Fresh air and sunshine*: Outdoor activities allow people to get enough sunshine, which can help increase vitamin D levels and improve overall health and mood.

 

5. *Reduce screen time*: Staying away from electronic devices and focusing on nature and our surroundings can reduce our fatigue, further relieving stress.

 

Overall, spending time outdoors is an effective way to relieve stress, promote physical and mental health, and improve quality of life.

Believe in the possibility of change

In the process of growing up, do you often encounter different difficulties? Do you often wonder if you are capable enough? Trusting yourself of being capable in making changes is not only an affirmation on own potential, but also an expectation for the future. Every effort, every small step, is an important step towards a better you. The possibility of change is always in everyone’s mind. Here are a few suggestions to help us see more clearly and to help change ourselves:

 

  1. Enhancement of own interests

 

Everyone has different area of interests, and the things that you are interested in can bring you endless motivation. You can stay enthusiastic about your interests, keep looking for new ways and techniques to improve yourself, and equip with more skills, which is also a process of changing yourself.

 

  1. Explore own strengths

 

Exploring our strengths is an important self-discovery process that not only boosts our self-confidence, but also helps us to make informed choices in life. Reviewing past experiences, think about the situations in which we have excelled, might give ourselves a great sense of fulfillment. These experiences often reveal our strengths. In addition, asking for feedback from family and close friends can be an effective approach. Their comments and observations give us a clearer picture of our strengths.

 

  1. Recognize own weaknesses

 

It is common for many people to doubt their own abilities, especially when facing new challenges or high-pressure situations, and this feeling of doubt can grow stronger and stronger. However, these self-doubt does not mean that we are useless, but reflects an exploration of our own potential. Believing that we can make a difference starts with learning to accept self-doubt as a motivation to consistently improve ourselves.

 

  1. Don’t let negative emotions dominate

 

Recognizing one’s own shortcomings is a critical step in self-growth. It is only when we are aware of our weaknesses that we are able to formulate effective improvement plans. This does not mean that we have to put ourselves in a position of self-criticism, but we have to face challenges with a positive mindset. Through reflection, we can learn from our failures and improve ourselves. This process of self-awareness allows us to face future difficulties with greater ease and the ability to solve problems, and ultimately, to make a difference.

 

Believing in yourself is an important thing. Hopefully these tips will enable you to get clarity on yourself, and make changes along the way!

Believe in the possibility of change

In the process of growing up, do you often encounter different difficulties? Do you often wonder if you are capable enough? Trusting yourself of being capable in making changes is not only an affirmation on own potential, but also an expectation for the future. Every effort, every small step, is an important step towards a better you. The possibility of change is always in everyone’s mind. Here are a few suggestions to help us see more clearly and to help change ourselves:

 

  1. Enhancement of own interests

 

Everyone has different area of interests, and the things that you are interested in can bring you endless motivation. You can stay enthusiastic about your interests, keep looking for new ways and techniques to improve yourself, and equip with more skills, which is also a process of changing yourself.

 

  1. Explore own strengths

 

Exploring our strengths is an important self-discovery process that not only boosts our self-confidence, but also helps us to make informed choices in life. Reviewing past experiences, think about the situations in which we have excelled, might give ourselves a great sense of fulfillment. These experiences often reveal our strengths. In addition, asking for feedback from family and close friends can be an effective approach. Their comments and observations give us a clearer picture of our strengths.

 

  1. Recognize own weaknesses

 

It is common for many people to doubt their own abilities, especially when facing new challenges or high-pressure situations, and this feeling of doubt can grow stronger and stronger. However, these self-doubt does not mean that we are useless, but reflects an exploration of our own potential. Believing that we can make a difference starts with learning to accept self-doubt as a motivation to consistently improve ourselves.

 

  1. Don’t let negative emotions dominate

 

Recognizing one’s own shortcomings is a critical step in self-growth. It is only when we are aware of our weaknesses that we are able to formulate effective improvement plans. This does not mean that we have to put ourselves in a position of self-criticism, but we have to face challenges with a positive mindset. Through reflection, we can learn from our failures and improve ourselves. This process of self-awareness allows us to face future difficulties with greater ease and the ability to solve problems, and ultimately, to make a difference.

 

Believing in yourself is an important thing. Hopefully these tips will enable you to get clarity on yourself, and make changes along the way!

The Waxing and Waning of the Moon Can Affect Your Mood

The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival! How do you feel when you admire the moon? Do you feel calm or bring back a trace of memories? The changes of the moon are not only astronomical phenomena, but also comparable to our emotions and mental health. Our emotions are like the moon, which waxes and wanes. People’s emotions always have ups and downs and will not stay in the same state for a long time, so it is necessary to give yourself space to face your emotions. Many people report significant changes in their mood and mental state during the different moon phases. Here’s a look at the different ways the moon affects our emotions.

 

  1. The influence of the moon phase on emotions

– *New Moon*: Symbolizing new beginnings, many people feel energized during this period and are eager to set new goals. This is a time for self-reflection and planning for the future.

– *First Quarter Moon*: Emotions gradually stabilize, and people tend to feel confident and positive, suitable for taking action and facing challenges.

– *Full Moon*: Emotions are at their peak and strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, excitement or uneasiness may occur. Many studies have found that people’s sleep quality decreases during the full moon, leading to mood swings.

– *Last Quarter Moon*: As the moon gradually decreases, emotions become introverted, which is suitable for reflection and release of past emotions, and helps with mental recovery and calmness.

 

  1. Support for scientific research

Some scientific research shows that the moon’s brightness and its periodic changes may affect the body’s biological clock, thereby affecting sleep quality and emotional stability. Especially during full moons, reports of anxiety and insomnia increase, showing the potential impact of the moon on mental health.

 

  1. How to use the phases of the moon to promote mental health

– *Self-Reflection*: Use the New Moon and Waxing Moon periods for self-reflection, writing down goals and emotions to help release and understand inner feelings.

– *SET GOALS*: Set clear goals during the New Moon and take action during the Waxing Moon.

– *Emotional Regulation*: During the full moon, pay attention to emotional fluctuations and learn to regulate emotions using methods such as meditation or deep breathing.

 

The waxing and waning of the moon is closely related to our emotional and mental health. Whenever you look up at the bright moon in the night sky, you might as well think about the inspiration and influence the moon brings to us, and realize the importance of emotional health. Understanding this can help us better understand ourselves, adopt healthy coping strategies, and find emotional balance in our lives.

Building Good Relationships: Tips for Effective Social Interactions

Whether in workplace or daily life, interpersonal relationships are an essential part of our lives, closely tied to our mental health. Having good, healthy relationships can bring happiness and joy, and also make our physical, emotional, and mental well-being more stable. In a supportive and caring environment, we are less likely to feel lonely, anxious, or fearful, and can better recover from illnesses and adversity. To build good relationships, you need appropriate social skills to help you get along with others and gain friendships. Here are some tips:

 

  1. Build One Relationship at One Time

To establish deep and meaningful relationships, you must take the time to understand the other person and share each other’s lives and thoughts. Trying to develop multiple relationships at once can lead to superficial connections. Focus on building one relationship at a time, through regular communication, sharing experiences, and expressing concern. This will help you gradually increase mutual understanding and trust, laying the foundation for true friendships or partnerships.

 

  1. Listen Attentively and Respectfully

During conversations, maintaining an open and patient attitude is crucial. Listen attentively to the other person, without being distracted or preparing own response. Try to understand their thoughts and feelings, giving them ample time to express themselves without interrupting. Even if you disagree, attempt to put yourself in their shoes and listen to their perspective. This allows other people to feel respected and be more willing to listen to you.

 

  1. Avoid Criticizing and Blaming

When interacting with others, avoid judging, analyzing, or categorizing them from the beginning. Regardless of the differences in the point of view, avoid using accusatory or critical language, such as “You shouldn’t…” These words can make others feel attacked, leading to tense and unpleasant communication. To avoid misjudging others, try using neutral or objective language and expressions, like “I understand your perspective is…” to ease the conversation.

 

  1. Show Appreciation and Admiration

Appreciating others is an essential aspect of social interactions. Admiring others is not about flattering or trying to win them over, but about making them smile. When others feel your kindness, they are more likely to treat others with kindness and be more willing to communicate and interact with you, making conversations more enjoyable and harmonious.

 

  1. Don’t Be Afraid to Show Vulnerability

When facing challenges or difficulties, don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability or to seek help. In these moments, be humble and don’t worry about being seen as weak or struggling. When you are willing to be open and honest, others are more likely to open up and offer support, increasing mutual trust and understanding.

 

Building relationships is an art without a formula, and each person has their unique way of communicating and interacting. Hopefully, these tips can help you enjoy the happiness and warmth that comes with social interactions and friendships.

Do you know and understand addictive behavior?

Do you know the impact of addictive behavior?

Addictive behaviors are excessive dependence on an activity or substance that may affect an individual’s quality of life and mental health. From a mental health perspective, there are several steps you can take to understand and address these behaviors:

 

  1. Understand addictive behavior

– Definition: Addictive behaviors may include excessive dependence on alcohol, drugs, the Internet, food, gambling, etc.

– Impact: These behaviors can lead to anxiety, depression, social isolation and physical health problems.

 

  1. Identify warning signs

– Mood changes: When feeling anxious, depressed, or empty, you may seek out indulgent behaviors as an escape.

– Behavioral changes: Begins to neglect work, school, or relationships and devote too much time to certain activities.

 

  1. Seek support

– Professional help: Counseling, therapy or support groups can provide necessary assistance.

– Social support: Share feelings with family and friends and seek their understanding and support.

 

  1. Substitute behavior

– Healthy activities: Find other activities that bring joy and satisfaction, such as exercise, art, or reading.

– Time management: Arrange time reasonably to avoid overindulgence in a certain activity.

 

  1. Self-reflection

– Journal: Record changes in mood and behavior to help identify triggers.

– Goal setting: Set short-term and long-term personal goals to help yourself stay focused.

 

  1. Lifestyle adjustments

– Balanced diet: A healthy diet can help improve your mood and physical state.

– Get proper rest: Ensure adequate sleep and rest to reduce stress.

 

Recognizing addictive behaviors and taking effective treatment methods can improve one’s mental health. Ongoing self-reflection and seeking support are important steps in overcoming these behaviors.

Learning and playing are often two opposite things

Learning and playing are often two opposite things. We frequently hear elders say: read carefully when studying, and play thoroughly when playing. But can you only choose one of the two, or can you do both simultaneously?

 

In daily life, study and work responsibilities are often overwhelming. We hope to continuously improve ourselves and cope with various examinations and work challenges. However, if we only focus on studying hard and ignore the entertainment and relaxation in life, wouldn’t it be difficult to maintain a good physical and mental state and face various tasks?

 

To maintain a good physical and mental condition, it is equally important to balance study and entertainment. While setting learning goals, you can reasonably plan your learning time for yourself. Endless homework and review will make us suffocated, but as long as we learn to make reasonable arrangements and perform study, work, and entertainment in their respective duties in an orderly manner, we can also achieve a balance. For example, you can divide the day into several periods, using the morning for study and work and leaving time for recreational activities in the afternoon. Or arrange some short rest time after work to regulate your body and mind through yoga, meditation, and other methods. As long as time is used effectively, learning and entertainment can coexist harmoniously.

 

In addition, the fun in learning can also make our learning process novel and interesting. I once heard an interesting saying that learning an instrument is described as playing music in English grammar. The hidden meaning expresses that learning music is an enjoyable process. Understanding the melody and knowledge in the music score also incorporates interesting elements into the learning process to stimulate enthusiasm and motivation for learning. Finally, playing music is not only a fun experience but also provides unexpected gains and improvements in the process.

 

After busy study and work, making time to enjoy life will help us get twice the result with half the effort. Only by finding a balance between study and play can we maintain physical and mental health and better devote ourselves to study and work.

 

You’ve been busy all day today, it’s time for play!

One-time academic result is not a life indicator

It is the season of releasing DSE results again. I believe that some students are happy and excited about their satisfied result, while some others are disappointed as their grades are lower than they expected.

Having a good result is one step closer to get into their preferred university, which is certainly should be happy and proud of, but students with unsatisfied result should not be overwhelmed. There is not only one way out in our life, and academic results do not mean everything of our future achievement.

Exams scores often depend on many factors. Besides the level of difficulty, there are also stresses, environments, health condition…etc. All these factors are significant to an exam performance. Therefore, we should not judge one’s success or failure just based on the test result, or to make comparisons with others.

Even though some students are not able to get into their preferred university, there are still many pathways for further study, such as self-financing courses, sub-degree programme and higher diploma courses. Furthermore, students can also enroll into some courses that are related to the career they are interested in, so they can learn some relevant knowledge and skills, which would be useful for their future prospects.

Everybody is unique. We have our own strengths and talents, as well as our own goals, interests and dreams. The definition of success is different for everyone. Everyone has their own pace, we don’t have to deliberately catch up or cater to others, it is more important to find out the field that suits you. There is no best development direction, but only the path that suits you best.

During our campus life, we also learn how to establish the sense of responsibility, develop a good character, and learn how to get along with others. These precious values cannot just be reflected by a single test score.

Examination or academic performances will soon become a small part of our life. It cannot be used to indicate our achievement, nor to represent the value of our existence. Students should figure out your own interests and goals, then work hard to add value to yourself, believe in your own potential, respond to challenges with a positive attitude, and trust that you can succeed on your own path.

Reference:

https://www.stheadline.com/parenting/3254521/%E5%85%92%E7%AB%A5%E5%BF%83%E7%90%86DSE%E6%94%BE%E6%A6%9C%E5%89%8D%E5%BE%8C%E5%AE%B6%E9%95%B76%E5%A4%A7%E6%BA%96%E5%82%99-%E5%BF%83%E7%90%86%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E6%95%99%E8%B7%AF%E4%B8%80%E6%AC%A1%E6%88%90%E7%B8%BE%E9%9D%9E%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%9F%E6%8C%87%E6%A8%99

學業成績只是裝備往後人生的其中一件事

https://www.tkww.hk/a/202307/19/AP64b7714ee4b068c215c7b5a7.html

https://www.student.hk/commonDetial?breadCrumbName=%E7%86%B1%E8%A9%B1&rid=WS61d7b2159ab4b791751d74df

How do candidate face the DSE result?

The day of the announcement of the DSE result is coming. Meanwhile, it is telling the students that secondary school life has come to an end. With the new chapter in life, the process is full of unknowns. Let’s look at how to adjust our mindset with some tips below.

1.Understand more about your result
On the day when the results are released, thousands of thoughts may run through your mind when you are holding the results. “Need to study ASSO right away?” “Do I gain enough marks on applying for the ideal subjects?” Before releasing the results, you can preview the choices you will make with different scores and simulate the situation after you get the results that day. For example, use a chart to write down your ideal and least ideal scores, and compare them with your expected goals. Make backup plans. If you plan to continue your studies, you should think of several subjects that are interesting and suitable for you, so as not to be affected by the results on the day when the results are released, which will affect your mentality and then affect your ability to make decisions. At the same time, remember to prepare the documents required for the results day one or two days in advance so that you can face it calmly.

2.Objectively analyze your performance
We may only experience this critical moment of results release once in our lifetime. Students are wise to review the entire preparation process, affirm their dedication and efforts, and also recognize areas that need improvement. The score only reflects the ability to attend the examination, but your own efforts and mental adjustment during the process are the experiences that accompany your growth. Students can focus on whether profound things linger in their minds during the past few years of preparing for DSE. Those memories are also an important part of middle school life.

3.Find support and advice
Remember that you are not alone. If you have any doubts, you may wish to take the initiative to talk to your family, teachers, and friends and listen to their support. There will always be times when a person is in trouble. You might as well share your problems or troubles with others. Different ideas may emerge. This is also very important to adjust our mentality and formulate long-term plans.

4.Appreciate yourself
Finally, it is time to appreciate your efforts over the past few years in secondary school! Achievements are only one-sided performances. On the contrary, the entire middle school career experience is not only about studying but also the personal growth experiences. An ending represents another beginning. On the eve of the release of the results, let’s invite friends to play around, relax and relieve stress, and say farewell to secondary school life and welcome to a new beginning.

Anxiety before DSE results release

As the DSE results release date is approaching, have you ever felt nervous, worried, panicked, or frightened? Students are concerned about their test results and may feel anxious when thinking about their prospects, as the choices and changes they are going to encounter may significantly impact their future. If students can adequately understand and deal with their anxiety, it will help them maintain good well-being to face the coming new stages and challenges.

These feelings of anxiety may stem from students’ negative thoughts about open examinations and results. For example, students may catastrophize their exam results, worrying that they will not be able to get into the university if they fail to achieve the expected results, and their future will be ruined. Or they may keep thinking about the situation on the day of the HKDSE, feeling that they did not do well in the exam, blaming themselves for not performing well, and worrying that they will lose their qualifications to enter their favorite subjects. Some students may be unclear about their interests and skills, feel struggle to plan for their future paths, and are worried about unable to find a course and career that suits them. Our body will also appear differently under various anxious emotions. Symptoms include heart palpitations, difficult in breathing, tension headaches, frequent urination, stomach pain, abdominal pain, and insomnia. Long-term anxiety may worsen into anxiety disorders and depression.

It is not easy to coexist with anxiety. Students may feel highly anxious before results are released. So, what can we do to relieve these emotions? Students can refer to the following tips to deal with various worries and anxiety before the results are released:

1. Write down a plan in advance
Before the results are released, students should plan for further study pathways as early as possible and collect relevant information. Students can simulate various results and release situations in advance, such as scores higher or lower than expected, and then record corresponding options for further education and employment. When you have clear information and plans in hand, you can be mentally prepared to deal with it even if your results are not as expected, thus you can better manage the feeling of anxiety.

2. Take care of yourself
When you feel anxious, remind yourself that you have already planned everything. No matter how worry you are, it will not help. Therefore, students should arrange their schedule for adequate sleep and a proper diet instead of worrying. You can also focus on activities that you enjoy and temporarily stay away from anxiety to make yourself feel more comfortable.

3. Talk to someone you trust
Sometimes, when people express their worries to others, their anxiety can be relieved. Students can talk to trusted family members, friends or professionals about their stress and worries before the results are released, and also listen to the experience and opinions from other people.

DSE is one of the milestones in our lives, but it is not everything. Feeling anxious before the release of the results is a normal reaction. Having anxious feeling does not mean suffering from anxiety disorder. However, if the feeling of anxious has been present for a long time, is growing stronger, and seriously affects your daily life, remember to seek help from professionals around you.