ABOUT THE HOST

Hello! My name is Rohya Alamin. I am a senior in high school from Arizona, an Eritrean American, and the founder of Progress Without Stress. I have a passion for self-care, creating, and uplifting others.

I was raised by two hard-working and selfless parents. After escaping the Eritrean Independence War, they immigrated to the United States with the goal of building a stable life and giving back to their community. Even when this required sacrifice, providing for others remained a priority. As they worked to create a better life for my brother and me, stress and hustle became a familiar pattern I recognized not just in them, but across my family as a whole.

As I grew up, I noticed this pattern of stressing to accomplish things not only within my family, but also among my friends, teachers, and society as a whole. Everyone around me seemed overwhelmed, yet stress was rarely talked about openly. My classmates were burdened by grades, college pressure, fitting in, and personal insecurities, often keeping these struggles to themselves. There were no real spaces for students to be honest or vulnerable about what was happening in their minds, and little guidance on why we felt the way we did or how to navigate it. I struggled with this myself, particularly with my own self-image, which made me realize how limited our understanding of mental and emotional health truly was. This realization inspired me to turn to podcasting, using science to create discussions that are clear, engaging, and accessible, offering students both understanding and comfort.

Progress Without Stress, at its core, exists to provide young people with knowledge and visibility around stress. Rather than treating stress as something to ignore or normalize, this platform emphasizes literacy, helping students understand their thoughts, emotions, and the science driving their bodies. By grounding self-care and stress management in evidence-based understanding, Progress Without Stress encourages a knowledgeable and intentional approach to growth, achievement, and well-being that centers on progress over perfection.

Through tips, reels, and reminders on Instagram, along with monthly podcast episodes featuring advice from myself, mindset coaches, and psychology and neuroscience professors, my audience is encouraged to develop a more tranquil and composed mindset that supports personal growth and long-term well-being.

I believe we must stress less to be the best version of ourselves. So let’s starting making progress without stress today!