Throughout my teenage years, I’ve become oddly familiar with the feeling of becoming severely overwhelmed to the point of anxiety. Whether my spiral is caused by feeling like I have no time or simply having a lot to do, it is very easy for me to let go of myself and my priorities when under stress. However, as I’ve grown and worked to adapt better-coping skills, I’ve created a routine that I use to give myself a fresh start: my reset button routine!
Step 1: Get Off Of Your Phone
When I first notice that I am entering a negative state, I delete all social media and put my phone on “Do Not Disturb.” Although I only have TikTok, I find some of the content on there to be triggering. When I notice that most of the videos are making me feel worse, or if I just find myself scrolling for hours, I clear out all my drafts and delete the app. To take it a step further, I’ll also put my phone on “Do Not Disturb” or airplane mode so that I am not tempted to be on it at all. These actions, in collaboration with one another, allow me to be more present.
Step 2: Write Down All That You Need To Do
During my overwhelmed phases, it feels as if I have one million things to do. However, for me, there is no greater feeling than creating a list and checking everything that I have to do off of it. So I grab a pen and paper, go through every single course on canvas, look around my room, and check the must-dos for all of my involvements, and I begin to write! By writing down all that I need to do, I can see what events, tasks or assignments take priority; I can also have a more clear idea of all that I need to do rather than having a cloud of anxiety following me because I feel like I have a lot to do with no time.
Step 3: Clean Your Room
One of my most essential practices is the cleaning and upkeep of my space. No matter how much I have to do, I do not allow my room to match my mental state. And while it may be tedious or seem not as important, there have been times when I knew I would have a hectic week, so I cleaned in advance. Whether it be cleaning my mirrors, doing laundry, vacuuming, or wiping down surfaces, keeping my space clean allows me to be productive and improves my mental and emotional state.
Step 4: Spiritual Practice
On top of physically cleaning my space, I also like to cleanse it spiritually. For me, my space can sometimes harbor negative energy and further enable my lack of productivity, creativity and overall motivation. To combat this, I go around my room with Palo Santo, a type of aromatic healing tree, while repeating positive affirmations. I also go over my body with the Palo Santo, still repeating the affirmations. When I do this, I release any blockages and/or negativity, which gives me that reset and aligned feeling. Sometimes, I’ll even pray, stand in the moonlight (especially if it happens to be a full moon) or dance; whatever I feel calls to me at the moment! What I choose to do is not the only “right” way. This step can be tailored to anyone’s spiritual or religious practices. This is more about self-care on a deeper level in terms of doing things that make my mind, heart and spirit feel more at ease.
Step 5: Do Your In-Depth Self-Care Routine
When I procrastinate, I sometimes put my self-care on the back burner, which does nothing but contribute to the negativity I already feel. So on my reset days, I spend over two hours, paying attention to every part of me I’ve been neglecting. I first start with oral care, which in and of itself takes about 30 minutes, between the flossing, mouthwash, teeth brushing, tongue scraping and tongue brushing. I then go on to get in the shower, where I’ll wash my face and body and, if I’m in the mood, do a face mask or use a body scrub. Post-shower, I will use a scented lotion and a perfume that matches. As perfume is very important to me, I choose a scent that I know will uplift my spirits. This step is about taking care of your external being and practicing consistency. By doing this detailed routine, I remind myself of how good it feels to be loved and taken care of by me, which aligns me with a more positive state and mindset.
Step 5 ½: Put On A Nice Outfit
Have you ever heard the saying, “If you look good, you feel good?” Well, I try to live by that, especially on days when I feel down. By putting on a cute outfit, in addition to doing my hygiene routine, not only do I feel good, but I feel confident and ready to take on the world and my to-do list! In the same way that I do not let my room reflect my mental state, I do not let my outfit reflect it either. While there are days when my mental state wins, I try not to lose sight of how good I feel when I dress up.
Step 6: Take It One Step At A Time
Being patient with yourself is hard, especially when exchanging blows with things like depression and anxiety. In my own journey of working through them both, I’ve turned to therapy, loved ones and myself, because being truly “aligned” and happy takes work. I’ve realized that, through the multiple times that I’ve done this whole routine, it has not magically fixed every single problem in my life. However, it has made me happier, more confident and reminded me not to rush myself; getting better is not an instantaneous process. Even when I do slip up and let my feelings of being overwhelmed get the best of me, I meet myself with grace, because aligning myself is not a linear or perfect experience. It’s a slow and imperfect one, that I’ve made a routine to help with!
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