Sometimes, plans change, but that doesn’t mean the goal has to be different. This is what I’ve been telling myself ever since I withdrew from the rest of the semester to receive mental health treatment. It was a terrifying decision, but it’s shown me that what’s best for you is sometimes not the easiest thing to choose, nor what you want the most at that moment.
Honestly, I was very hesitant to write about this experience, and even borderline embarrassed. Then, I realized that I was feeding into the stigma surrounding mental health by avoiding talking about something so prevalent in my life. So, here I am writing this. Here’s what I’ve been doing to take extra care of myself during recovery.
Having A Morning Routine
I’m not a morning person, and I highly doubt I ever will be. But I’ve found that the trick is to do something that makes you want to get out of bed. For me, it’s Starbucks. Once I’ve done my skincare, I’m pulling into the Starbucks drive-through. I fully admit that it’s an addiction, but it makes getting up at 8 a.m. so much more bearable. I pair up my drink with a loud Sleep Token jam session in the car, and I’m good to go.
Therapy
I go to therapy daily and genuinely get excited about it. Each day, I learn coping skills that help me manage my thoughts and emotions. One of the therapists said, “Getting treatment for your mental health is no different than going to the doctor for a broken arm,” and I had never felt so validated. To be around others who understand your struggles and can relate on a personal level feels so good. It’s easily become the highlight of my day.
Exercise
As a couch potato, this one is hard. A therapist told me, “Self-discipline is self-love.” Hearing that has helped me view exercise not as a punishment but as self-care. I have officially entered my (very slow) running era. Don’t even ask me my pace. You could probably out-walk me. But I’m getting better! I’m learning to appreciate progress of any magnitude.
Journaling
I’ve written about journaling before because of how much I love it. In therapy, we process things a bit more on the fly by talking. When I journal, I get to process my emotions more thoroughly because I have time to articulate myself exactly how I like. Journaling also acts as a great progress checker and mood log.
Drawing
I have this problem where I pick up a hobby only to abandon it because I’m not perfect at it immediately. In therapy, I’ve talked about how exhausting perfectionism is and how it can often take away joy from many activities. I was told, “You know, you don’t even have to be good at a hobby.” I felt so inspired after hearing that that I picked up something I haven’t done since I was in elementary: drawing! Through the help of some YouTube videos, I’ve been able to draw things that look somewhat like birds and faces. Just the act of creating something is so cathartic and rewarding.
Progress isn’t linear. I have a long way to go in restructuring the way I think and cope. I know there will be times when it feels like I’ve gone back to square one. For now, I choose to applaud myself for taking this big first step. I hope that this can be a reminder to anyone struggling that you deserve help and that you are worth so much more than you believe.
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