This semester more than ever I’ve come to understand the importance of self-care. Compared to last week I am in a way better place mental health wise, which I am very grateful for. There are several things I do for self-care that helps a little on days that might feel harder to get through but are valuable day-to-day as well.
One of these habits/activities is journaling. When there’s a lot on my mind I like to just type all my thoughts down. However, I’ve found it’s most effective when written down with actual pen(cil) and paper. If I try to organize my thoughts a little bit and actively focus on the positives slightly more as I’m putting it down on paper, it’s helped to make a difference. Journaling/diary keeping in general is something I enjoy and want to be more consistent about because it’s always nice to look back and reflect on different periods of my life.
The other big thing for me would be reaching out to family and friends. It’s always a nice distraction to get lost in a one-hour phone call with someone I enjoy talking to. Or get lunch or dinner. Check in and see what everyone’s up to. When I’m immersed in these conversations with close friends and acquaintances, I feel relaxed and happier. I’m grateful for these connections in my life. There’s no better way to get rid of negative energy than by surrounding myself with positive energy. It forces me to be in the moment too and divert away from stressful and negative thoughts.
Both of these activities have helped and are helping me get through so much. I practice gratitude this way, which is tied in as another form of self-care. I give myself reminders that there’s always positives in life and things to be grateful for. There’s always people to make me feel better. There will always be a rainbow after the rain.
As cliche as it sounds, each time it gets hard, we just emerge stronger. Self-care is one of those things that’s so easy to lose sight of and not practice but when done right, can be each of our little umbrellas. It’s so important to remember we should always be our own greatest priority, regardless of the pressure, stress, and negative things that happen in life. I hope we always remember to love and take better care of ourselves. We all deserve nothing less.
