There have been many times when I have felt stressed out by so many different things. I would get so overwhelmed to the point where I let the stress pile up. It’s so easy to let these things get the best of us. Sometimes, we forget to put ourselves first. Taking care of our mental health is so important. Before we can do anything, such as completing an assignment, we have to make sure we’re okay first.
When I was younger, I never really knew how to take care of my mental health. If I’m being honest, I never truly prioritized my mental health until recently. I would always put schoolwork, sports, clubs, etc. first, thinking that was prioritizing myself. However, I was not prioritizing myself. I would feel overwhelmed by everything yet continued to put other things first. I learned that not prioritizing myself was harmful to my mental health.
It took me a while to find things that benefited my mental health. In the process of doing so, I learned a lot about myself: things I love, things I hate, etc. I learned that I love going on Pinterest when I’m stressed. Or that when I’m stressed out from an assignment, a simple dance party will do the trick. I also learned that I love advocating for prioritizing mental health, which is why I am writing this article. I want to share things that help me when I feel stressed and overwhelmed in hopes that it will help someone else. So, here are a few things I do to take care of myself!
1. Daily Affirmations
Saying affirmations such as “I am enough” can go such a long way. I like to say my affirmations when I first wake up, so my day is off to a positive start. Some affirmations I like to say are:
– I am enough
– I am capable
– I am strong
– I am beautiful
– I can do this
– I am grateful for today
2. Self-Care Nights
Schedule a night once a week for yourself and do the things that make you happy. Making time for yourself is a great benefit to your mental health.
Some nights I’ll watch a show or a movie and do a face mask. Other nights I’ll read a book. Other things I enjoy doing during my self-care nights are:
– Making playlists
– Going on Pinterest
– Taking a nap
– Baking cookies
3. Meditation
Putting some time aside to clear your mind is a great way to relieve stress. I tend to look up meditation videos on YouTube in between completing assignments. I find myself much calmer and more relaxed after.
4. Yoga/Exercise
I absolutely love working out, dancing, and doing yoga. I find myself much more energized when I finish a workout or come back from practice. It gives me a lot of motivation to complete assignments and study! My absolute favorite way to get my body moving is having a dance party in my room!
5. Journaling
Writing down my feelings has benefited my mental health in so many ways. Even just writing a few sentences about how my day went goes such a long way. As someone who has difficulty verbally expressing my feelings, I find that writing things down is a great alternative!