September is National Suicide Awareness Month, but being intentional about your mental health should be at the top of everyone’s priority list every month of the year. Self-isolation and quarantine have required a lot of people to be alone for extended periods of time, which has affected each person’s mental health differently. Therefore, it is imperative during this time of social distancing to start looking after yourself!
Here are some fun ways to show yourself some love and appreciation (today and every day):
1.) Get yourself a bouquet of flowers
2.) Make a list of ‘beautiful things’ that you see each day
3.) Take yourself on a date
4.) Get yourself a plant to take care of
5.) Spend 30 minutes outside (run, walk, sit on your porch, etc.)
6.) Dress up to run your errands
7.) Donate some of your clothes
8.) Write a letter to a friend
9.) Have a picnic with your favorite foods
10.) Breakfast in bed
11.) Research something you have always been curious about (conspiracy theories, history, science, mystery)
12.) Watch a TV show/movie from your childhood
13.) Buy the meal for the person behind you in line or at a drive-thru
14.) Go cloud watching
15.) Give a stranger a genuine compliment — you’ll make their day, and it’ll boost your mood, too!
Self-care shouldn’t have to be a reward, so try and incorporate things that bring you joy into each day! The societal construct that happiness is a goal to reach perpetuates the concept that joy is something to be obtained. However, happiness is present in each day. You deserve to grow! You deserve to heal! You deserve to love yourself! So, take this month to recognize the love that you owe yourself and be intentional about pursuing the things that make you happy in life.