Some days we wake up and feel great, but then there are the days we just aren’t feeling our best. Whether it’s just waking up on the wrong side of the bed or getting into a disagreement with a friend, whatever it is, we all have those days. Being able to work through them and not let them get the best of you will give you clarity on situations going on, and it will also provide you with time to work on yourself.
Personally, being a college student away from home, those days come when I overthink what will happen once my years in college are over or see friends and family back home together and feel like I am missing out on fun memories. Usually, I would take my dog for a late-night car ride, listen to some of my favorite songs, come back to my apartment, and watch one of my favorite comfort 2000s movies. It would make me feel better in the moment, but I thought I needed to hit these issues head-on more frequently. These “down” days were coming.
I have tried a few different things, and I think I have it all figured out, for myself at least. I started by keeping a journal. It wasn’t necessarily a diary by any means. I kept my current life pretty much in it. I wrote on days I was feeling down, what I needed to be grateful for, and the days I was really happy so that I could go back and remember these down days were just temporary. My journal even had a 5-year life plan this way. I didn’t have to worry as much as long as I had a direction I was planning to go in, whether it happened or not. At least I have it to look at when thinking of my future, and I always go back to alter it.
Something I started doing recently that has become my favorite tradition that I kind of started for myself is a me day. I’m sure many people have these days as well. But I do it every month, sometimes twice a month, so every two weeks on a Monday. Lucky for me, Mondays are usually my free days. On these days, I typically have slow mornings with my dog, so he can let all his energy out before it’s all about me. I have to show love to my pups! I set myself a bubble bath with a wooden bench for baths for my laptop. I usually watch rom-coms while writing articles or scrolling through my phone with a nice cup of tea. I finish with my extremely long body/facial care routine and my favorite home-cooked meal.
On days like these, I feel like I have completely restarted myself. I feel so fresh and brand new. It’s honestly so hard for me to feel any upset or mad emotions all week. These are just two ways I have found that have helped me relax and worry less about what I may be missing out on or stressing about my future. Living in the now is all that matters, and taking care of ourselves is so important, especially for our mental health. I may not be making memories with those back home, but I am with the friends I have made here who I may have for the rest of my life. I always reassure myself it will be fine. I need to focus on the now, and the future will work itself out as I go.