When advocacies have started to become integral parts of any pageant aspirant’s game plan, mental health awareness is one platform that many joiners took as their default cause to push for – much like pre-med students choosing to major in Psychology thinking that it would be the “easiest” field to specialize in before heading to Medicine Proper. But as some of them may have realized – this is one area that is easier said than implemented.

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidate Ysabella “Bella” Roxas Ysmael is not just relying on her degree in Psychology to mount a purposeful entry into national pageantry. She has been an advocate for mental health ever since her years at the De La Salle University. She practices what she preaches and is not about to go talking about the subject matter based solely on one reading or two. She has dug into the science behind it and can connect the theories and methodologies to daily practice.

As a fellow blogger, Bella has recently posted an entry that speaks on mental health amidst the COVID19 crisis. Below is an excerpt from the same:

”… …Take care of your mental well-being.

Keeping yourself physically healthy is one thing, but staying mentally-well is another. The mind is capable of thinking of so many things that sometimes it goes on hyperdrive. It becomes too much to handle sometimes. We might even be feeling stressed because of the adjustments we have to face such as working from home, and spending your entire day indoors. It’s important to keep a routine or at least a list of goals to help with time management and to keep yourself on track, it’ll help you feel in control of yourself.

Other things you can practice is meditation and mindful breathing. This is something I can seriously say has helped me a lot with my struggles. There are a lot of guided meditations available online and on YouTube to specifically target whatever it is you might need help with — be it anxiety, insomnia, stress, depression — it’s all there. That’s the beauty of the internet. We have unlimited access to so much resources to help ourselves, so let’s make use of it.

Read the entire article by clicking below.

https://ysabellaysmael.wordpress.com/2020/04/08/keep-yourself-alive-5-steps-to-deal-with-your-covid-19-stress/

Bella was also part of the Mindful Soul Series of Forth Co. in an online panel discussion that touched on “Mindfulness for Mental Health” where she shared her views and learnings on how to preserve mental well-being in the middle of ECQ and the pandemic crisis. She gave tips on how to adapt a calm attitude and bravely go through the paces without giving in to stress and anxiety.

She also helped spread awareness of the group #ForOurFrontlinersPH and its efforts in providing PPEs to medical frontliners who are exposed to the elements of the COVID19 virus. Their target recipients are different hospitals assessing and treating cases first-hand.

Truthfully, being a pageant candidate these days is no longer as simple as getting a glam team to help one in all the physical aspects of the endeavor. The inner substance should also be shown. With sincerity and a good heart.