Learning to love myself has been a struggle. With the overwhelming pressures of school and the pandemic, I quickly became trapped in a downward spiral of uncertainty pertaining to my future. Struggling to sustain a healthy mindset, I found that creating a self gratitude journal was the perfect way for me to detach myself from the unhealthy space I was stuck in and ultimately guide myself through the internal battle I faced.
Practicing gratitude allowed me to realize that it is okay to remove yourself from a situation to come to terms with one’s feelings. This began by physically writing down at least three things I was thankful for, which helped move me into a more positive mindset. Steering away from the negative, I was able to grasp a better understanding of what made me happy and how I could continue to access this feeling. Writing out what I did that day that created this sense of happiness helped clear my mind. Being able to visually see what brought me joy throughout the day allowed me to end my day on a positive note.
Additionally, I began to write down my goals, which helped me curate a pathway to the healthier lifestyle I desired. Establishing a set of daily small term goals provided me with a sense of accomplishment once I had completed the task. I reminded myself to drink a certain amount of water every day, take a walk outside to get some fresh air, and check in on my friends to catch up on what they have been doing. Aside from this, I also created a list of long term goals. This helped guide me in achieving something that seemed relatively unattainable in the moment, but over time would become manageable. Visually seeing what long term goals I have make this idea more realistic. Seeing what I could accomplish, regardless of how small or big the achievement was, ultimately allowed me to comprehend my self-worth.
Establishing a routine of writing down what I was grateful for and seeing my goals placed me in the positive mindset I had strived for. Reminding myself that it is important to take a step back from reality and come to terms with my feelings is something I still practice today. Being in touch with your feelings and capabilities allows you to develop a healthy relationship within.