Starting off quarantine in 2020, everything was novel. No one knew what to do or how to feel yet. As the summer started to pass by, it felt like this nightmare would never end. Coming into the winter of 2020, it felt even worse because the days would get shorter and the nights would get darker way too quickly. It was so easy to feel hopeless and lost, and that’s exactly how I felt.
But here’s something that no one wants to admit – the only person who can pick you up at the end of the day is yourself. After being stuck in my rut for longer than I should’ve been, I realized that I had to make a game plan to be better.
These are a few ways I found hope within myself:
1. Journaling
Yes, I did get this tip from social media, but it honestly did help. What I did was, at the end of each night, I wrote a list of things that went right in the day. This technique helped me find joy in the little things, whether that be conversations with my mom before class or making myself a healthy breakfast to start out my day. I learned to find the light in even the darkest of times.
2. Getting out of my house at least once a day
Soaking in some Vitamin D was one of the best ideas I thought of. Staying in my depression bed and taking naps all day seemed to be the most convenient option until I realized I wasn’t bettering myself in any way. Luckily, I have a car, so I made it my mission everyday to go and drive to Dunkin’ or Starbucks for a quick little pick-me-up. If I didn’t want to drive, I would sit on my porch with a cup of tea, and that would do the trick.
3. Showing the people around me how I appreciate them
This is a big one. It can be extremely easy to get caught up in your own mind and forget reality. Being in touch with myself means being in touch with everything around me. My support system is mostly my friends, so I take time out of each day to show them or simply just tell them how much I appreciate them.
These 3 tips have helped me enjoy each day a little more. Times right now are tough, but it’s always important to keep loving yourself and others at the end of the day.