While I am guilty of being horrible at taking care of my mental and emotional health, there are several things I do for myself that bring me utter Joy.
Books
First of all, I love books:
Hardcovers, paperbacks, old books, new books, mangas, textbooks, the whole shebang. I dream of working at a publishing company (which is proving very difficult so far, HAHA) because reading makes me happy. “Because of Winn-Dixie,” by Kate DiCamillo, was the book that sparked my love for reading back in third grade. It’s a simple story about a struggling family, a young girl, and how she finds companionship in an abandoned puppy.
I resonated with the story because their family faced similar struggles as my own. I also wished I could find a similar friend because moving often during my childhood made it difficult to create meaningful friendships. That book gave me the comfort I hadn’t been able to find at home or school. From there, I moved on to wonderful fantasy and dystopian series, including Maximum Ride, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Twilight, the Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and more. I read everywhere: on the way to school, during class and lunchtime, under the covers before bed, and even on the toilet. When I was reading, everything around me was quiet. I would be fully immersed in the story, sometimes imagining myself as a side character.
Nowadays, my tastes have changed to thrillers, mysteries, and romance, but the fact that books have on me has stayed thesame. No matter how upset or tired I am, a good book will quiet my anxious thoughts, allowing me to fly into a fictional world where my problems do not exist.
- Grandma commenting on my eating? -> Let’s fly into Forks, Washington, where vampires run around playing baseball.
- Stressing about money issues? -> Take a 30-minute trip to Rosewood, where a serial killer targets the popular girls.
- Studying for finals becoming overwhelming? -> Join Maximum Ride and her winged friends as they travel across the sky.
Side note: even the smell of books, the act of adding cute sticky notes, and walking around bookstores make me happier than receiving my paycheck
Nail Painting
I’ve been getting into doing my own gel nails, which last for about two weeks, much longer than regular nail polish. Little things that make me feel prettier or add color to my life make me happy.
When I feel confident and polished, I have more mental motivation to tackle the complex parts of my life. The process of filing down my nails and curing them with UV light is super satisfying, too! However, my favorite part is choosing the design and having it come out exactly as I pictured. For example, last week, I was feeling very witchy with Halloween coming up. So, I chose the most beautiful shade of sparkly midnight blue. For the following days, every time I looked at my pretty nails, I felt magical. It’s such a small thing, but it makes my heart flutter with happiness. (P.S. I listen to audiobooks while doing my nails for that extra pump of serotonin).
Lighting Candles
I posted about my new obsession with perfume and fragrance products a few weeks ago, and my candle adoration is a part of that obsession. Currently, I have five candles at my dorm. The scents are: 1. Cactus Flower, 2. Hibiscus Sugar, 3. Winter Holiday Berry, 4. Vanilla Pumpkin, 5. Cinnamon Cider Donut. I pair each of them with a specific occasion or feeling I crave. For example, vanilla pumpkin does the job on cold, rainy days or movie nights with my love!
When I need a long study session, I light the cactus flower, which makes me feel calm and focused. Hibiscus sugar is perfect for when I am in a sweet, girly mood or having friends over. Candles not only lighten my mood but add depth to my life. I would highly recommend investing in a good candle!
Your home/ room smelling good will make a huge difference. Bath and Body Works usually has 3 for $11 deals, so check them out! Yankee Candles is fantastic, too!
Taking an Everything Shower
Wash hair + hair mask + body scrub + shave + wash body with scented soaps + moisturize with body oil & body lotion + jump into a cute set of pajamas + dry hair + put hair in a cute bun + jump into bed with a hot cup of green tea and a good book = HAPPINESS)
I swear, feeling squeaky clean and smelling like your favorite scent will make you feel like a queen!
Eating Comfort Foods
Here is a short list of satisfying, fun-to-eat foods that make me instantly relax:
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- Heart of Palm: A root vegetable that tastes like artichokes but has the texture of mozzarella cheese. I loveeee pulling the stringy parts apart. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy, cheesy, squishy, savory, and refreshing! If I were Eve and the snake offered me hearts of palm, huma
nity would definitely be doomed. - Cottage cheese: A protein-filled dairy product that goes with anything! On mybadd
ays, I will eat it straight from the container; don’t judge! - Dark chocolate: Something about that bittersweetness makes any irritation I have melt away. Plus, as the girls know, it is excellent for PMS symptoms ◡̈
- Tortillas: My f
avorite is the low-carb spinach tortillas from Star Market. They are soft and chewybut still make me feel healthy since they contain fiber and nutrients. - Popcorn: I have had a bag of popcorn every day
since April 2018. My Kettle corn addiction is actually insane, but it has been there for me longer than any of my romantic relationships. xoxo
- Heart of Palm: A root vegetable that tastes like artichokes but has the texture of mozzarella cheese. I loveeee pulling the stringy parts apart. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy, cheesy, squishy, savory, and refreshing! If I were Eve and the snake offered me hearts of palm, huma
Finally, a few honorable mentions:
- Cutting my bangs: I loveeeee trimming my hair – maybe that’s why it’s so long? I heard cutting off damaged ends makes it grow longer. >o< Plus, cutting hair is like cutting off dead weight I have been carrying. Switching things up can be fun!
- Spending time with my smart, handsome, adorable, funny (okay, tone it down, Joy) love makes me very happy.
- FaceTiming my family – specifically my little sister, who means the world to me.
- Going on walks – especially with the current beautiful fall foliage. I couldn’t walk across campus without stopping every few meters to take an aesthetic picture!
If you are reading this, sorry for the long post, but I hope you try out some of the activities or foods I mentioned! If not, at least do one of the things YOU enjoy this week. Also, I know seasonal depression affects many people, so hang in there as the cold months approach. We are in this together!!
Warmly, with lots of love and hugs,
Joy
