I don’t know about you, but I have been going through it this year. Between physical losses, education, mental health politics, and a pandemic, it feels like I can’t catch a break. It’s been hard for me to balance my responsibilities while trying to be gentle with myself.
I haven’t been sleeping. I lost my appetite and then when I do have an appetite, it isn’t nutritional. My hair started falling out. I’ve noticed I’ve been shaking more often than usual, and I can hardly remember what day of the week it is. On top of all of that, it’s midterm exam time.
My mental health has been something I have struggled with for a while. I come from a relatively ‘conservative’ family and was taught to suck it up and pull through whatever I was going through. It is dangerously easy to be hard on yourself during times like this, especially if you have the same toxic mindset that I do. Our mental health has a huge impact on our physical health, and while we may still have other responsibilities that are deemed “more important” than our mentality, we have to find a way to take care of both. How can I expect myself to accurately study for an exam if I’m not sleeping or eating, which results in me feeling fatigued? How can I concentrate on things when I am easily becoming overstimulated, resulting in intense irritability?
Be gentle with yourself. Be honest. Try to sit down and run through things to find the root of the problem and slowly work through it. Factor in small amounts of your day that are specifically for doing things you love, whether it’s a video game, a book, or a movie. Eat something even if it’s hard to, and keep yourself hydrated. It’s okay for you to lay in bed for a little long in the morning. It’s okay if you need to take more breaks than you’re used to. If you didn’t do as well on an exam as you hoped, let it go. We cannot ace every single exam we take. Things won’t end if you miss one meeting this week. Reach out to a friend and catch up, or ask them for help. If the only thing that you did today was get out of bed, remind yourself that it is okay and you can do better tomorrow.
Most importantly, you are not alone.