Life can be a lot to take on. As human beings, we can really only handle so much by ourselves before a breaking point. In this article, I want to talk about the importance of talking to people–of telling people what thoughts often go through your head. Maybe it’s a therapist you talk to to get things off of your chest, maybe a friend, maybe your mom, maybe you simply have a dialogue with yourself by writing things down in a journal…whatever it might be these things are so important to help us stay sane and in a good headspace.
We can’t be happy all the time. Period. End of story. This is a statement that I constantly need to remind myself. I love being that happy, positive, always-smiling person… but it’s HARD… it’s IMPOSSIBLE. We all have bad days, we all get in our own heads about things, and so, it’s okay to show those emotions and be sad. It truly is okay to be sad sometimes! It’s such a relief to hear someone say that as well as to say that yourself. I think feeling your feelings instead of pushing them down and hiding them, in the long run, is much more beneficial and healthier. Trauma that happens in life is so important to talk about, think about, and let marinate with you rather than just moving on with the daily schedule and doing the next activity you have planned.
During these past months, I have learned that it’s really important to actively support yourself in whatever way you may need. I have embraced the idea that therapy is something everyone needs in their life. Recently, I took the step and did in fact see a therapist. Ever since the onset of COVID-19 and quarantine, seeing a therapist has been in the back of my mind. I’m an emotional person, and I think being isolated for a while and not able to go out and do things socially closed me off and made me feel life differently than it ever had before. There is always that stigma, and I think it’s starting to lessen recently as mental health/illness becomes more talked about, that having a therapist means you have something wrong with you. It upsets me when people think like this because truly a therapist is just another person, with no relation to you whatsoever, who you can talk and rant to. They probably have advice or questions to ask you, but mainly they’re there to listen to you.
The point in all this mumbo jumbo is to tell you, whoever you are, to be proactive in doing what you need to stay mentally healthy and happy. Below I included a list of activities to do when you’re feeling in a weird mental funk.
What to do when you’re feeling mentally drained:
- Talk with your mom/sibling/best friend/boyfriend/grandma
- Go on a walk
- Take a hot shower
- Have a dance party
- Listen to your favorite music
- Watch a feel-good show
- Eat your favorite meal/ get your favorite coffee place
- Face masks & skincare
- Paint/Draw/Color
- Write & journal
- Meditate