Recently, I’ve found myself in a bit of a funk. I was going through some tough situations in life and could feel myself getting settled into an uncomfortable routine that was so focused on work and school, I didn’t even take the time out for myself. Realizing I was getting a bit stuck in my ways, I decided it was time to shake some things up. I’ve always been a person that thrives from change and although change can be a bit scary, it always seems to pay off in the end for my peace of mind and joy. Knowing this, I took the initiative and decided to do what I know is best for me and my peace of mind–I changed some things. So far, I can honestly say that the things I have done to reshape my routine and have more time for personal joy and growth have really helped me through the “funk” I told you about. Hopefully, it will help you too if you understand that feeling yourself. Here are some changes I have made:
1. I’ve come to realize that I don’t have all of the answers yet–even about myself.
Okay, so I know that this one isn’t necessarily a new hobby or task I’ve began, but I think it is just as crucial to mention–maybe even more. One of my constant anxieties has always been revolved around not knowing the answer to everything. This stress revolved around questions like: What am I going to do after college? What do I want out of life? What if this job doesn’t hire me? What if I don’t get this scholarship? What if I can’t get into this grad school? It was exhausting. And yes, I still suffer from these thoughts and worries at times but I realize that it’s impossible to answer these questions and it’s totally okay that I cannot answer them yet. Those questions are for another season but I have faith that they will be answered later and that all the pieces will fit together appropriately. Worrying about them now will just ruin the season that I am in currently.
2. I’ve began listening to podcasts.
Maybe I’m behind on this one–I’m not sure. However, I’ve recently began listening to podcasts that motivate and inspire me and I can honestly say it’s been reshaping my mindset to a more positive one. You can find an inspirational podcast for nearly ANY life struggle you’re battling that will talk you through it and help you know that you are not alone. Some of my favorite podcasts I have started to listen to are: She Podcast by Jordan Lee Dooley and Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson. I would 10/10 recommend either.
3. I’ve started to focus more on working out!
In the past, I’ve been to the gym out of what was essentially self-deprecating thoughts (aka “I’m too fat” or “I’m too lazy”) and I would always burn out literally after only a few days. I would get sick of going and felt like I wasn’t accomplish anything because I wasn’t losing pounds overnight. Sounds crazy, right? But I feel like a lot of girls do this to themselves subconsciously and we don’t realize that we aren’t giving ourselves enough self-respect. I’ve recently started going back to the gym again and have been setting goals for myself of 4 days a week and I’m rewarding myself with things I really want after every couple of weeks meeting these goals. The game changer is that this time, I’m legitimately doing it because I know that I feel better after working out and I know that my body deserves for me to take better care of it. It’s not because I think I’m fat or lazy, but because I want to push myself to the next level of self-care. The switch in mindset has really been essential for me.
4. I’ve become more environmentally friendly.
I’ve known for a while now that we need to take better care of our planet and I’ve been very angry with policy makers for not doing enough to spare us in the future. However, I honestly wasn’t doing much myself. And I’m still not. But I’m trying to meet myself where I’m at and make small changes that I know add up to accomplish a big difference and I hope that it spreads to others in my community who see me trying. It makes me so much more joyful to know that I am putting in effort and being more cognisant of just how much the planet needs me to care. I’ve written a list of these small changes that I made and you could make, too, that have really helped me feel like I’m making a difference.
5. I’ve started to realize that it’s okay for friendships and relationships to be temporary.
I’ve always been super heartbroken when a friendship or relationship ends, and I still am. But I used to have a guilty habit of making it all about me and questioning who I was. Questions that would replay over and over in my mind consisted of things such as: What did I do wrong? Why don’t they love me as much as I love them? Was our friendship ever legitimate or was it all a scam? The truth is, these things 9 times out of 10 are not the case at all. So many of us are so guilty of making things into a personal attack when they’re not and trying to hold onto things when we should let go. Some friendships and relationships really are meant to be temporary. They show us and teach us things and we should remain thankful for memories, but when someone starts making us feel less worthy or takes joy away from us, we have to let go. You should always surround yourself with people who are uplifting and inspiring and never be afraid to make new friends. Tend the friendships that bring joy and peace into your life and stop adding fuel to the ones that don’t. Eventually, you’ll see a turn-around that is totally worth it.
That’s all for my 5 steps! I hope that they help you as much as they truly did help and inspire me.