Stress
Stress is something we all experience since the moment we are born, and it’s rare to find someone who truly knows how to deal with it. Being in a program that creates massive levels of stress all day, every day, I felt that it’s become increasingly essential to take care of our mental health.
My Experience:
I spent the first week and a half at Flatiron completely overwhelmed and constantly beating myself up for not feeling good enough.
I started off by simply drowning in work and isolating myself because I felt I couldn't afford to relax; honestly, I’ve never been the best at dealing with stress.
What’d I do to get out of it?
I was honest with myself.
I listed out my stresses and insecurities within the program.
Hiding them was only making things harder for me, and becoming a burden to carry, so I started handling them one at a time.
“If people just took it a day at a time, they’d be a lot happier.”
Looking at code as a whole is overwhelming, but when you look at small sections it becomes manageable.
I talked.
I’ve always been a very independent person, and I’m not the best at speaking up in class because I get anxious when being on the spot.
Despite this surprisingly I was able to rant DAILY with a classmate I just met.
This has given me the chance to feel like I’m not going through this on my own and I wanted to make sure to acknowledge that.
I learned to accept my failure.
I’m not perfect, and I’m allowed to mess up. This was a tough one, I’ve never been the best at dealing with failure. I know you’ve heard this before but truly acknowledging it and allowing yourself to MOVE FORWARD with it has become a major part of my growth.
I learned to stay in the race.
This one might sound odd, but you don’t lose until you truly lose.
As long as you're still preparing, then you have time.
I’m still in this program and I’m getting better every day.
I realized I need to stop beating myself about my struggles and just keep learning, if I have time to worry than I definitely have time to get better.
I stopped comparing myself to others.
I chose to be in this program to reach my goals and attain the career I’ve been dreaming of attaining for years. I didn’t come to compete with the cohort, and nobody else’s successes reflect whether or not I’m succeeding.
I’m here for me.
Being at flatiron and being under constant pressure with an amazingly supportive team has helped grow in ways that go beyond getting better at coding. I feel like I’ve become a better person, and I’m excited to continue growing while in this program.
My Tips :
Meditate — I started doing this a couple of years ago and it really does help calm and clear your mind.
Exercise — There exists a lot of pressure when thinking of doing exercise, but simply learning to stand up take a small walk can be more than enough.
Healthy-Eating — It’s hard to change bad eating habits and being in an intense program where large portions of your day are spent doing work, you might find it hard to find time to eat. However, your body and mind work best when fed right, so take your breaks and lunch breaks seriously.
Links to help deal with stress:
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/copingwith-stresstips.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety#12.-Practice-mindfulness
