Hey there- if you’re reading this I just want to start off by acknowledging what a crazy time we’re in right now. I truly don’t even know how to begin talking about or addressing what’s been going on these past couple weeks. I’ve honestly re-typed this blog post about 5 times now, I feel like there’s so much to say but I’ve never been at such a loss for words. This is completely new territory for everyone, myself included. So before I get into it I just wanted to say, let’s all be a little more gentle with each other during these times of uncertainty.
There’s been so much going on lately with COVID-19 and the international pandemic, every single one of us has been impacted in some way and we’ve all had to make changes to our daily routines. Some of us have been more affected than others, but at the end of the day this hasn’t been easy on anyone and we’re all in this together. We’ve had to find new normals and try to figure out how to navigate a difficult situation that many of us feel uneducated about.
During a time like this its crucial to make sure that we’re taking care of our mental health and practicing methods of self-care to stay in a healthy mindset. I have always advocated self-care and frequently talk about how extremely important it is, and now more than ever I think we all need to prioritize making times for ourselves. As someone who struggles with severe anxiety, depression, and OCD- I have really had to force myself to keep positive and stay active by doing little things to make myself feel better. I know that many people are battling with poor mental health right now and not enough of us are talking about it as much as we should be. I wanted to figure out a way to open the discussion, so I reached out to my Instagram followers to see what people have been doing lately for self-care and I got some awesome responses and feedback that I’m going to share.
Here were the responses:
- Taking warm bathes
- Going for walks
- Doing home workouts
- FaceTiming friends and family
- Doing puzzles
- Getting up and actually getting ready, not staying in pajamas all day
- Journaling
- Putting down the phone for a couple hours and taking social media breaks
- Praying & reading the bible
- Cooking and meal-prepping
- Doing yoga and meditation
- Having a glass of wine
- Eating fresh produce
- Turning off the news
- Organizing clutter
- Gardening
- Going for runs and getting fresh air
- Drinking lots of water
- Going to bed early & sleeping in
- Washing & deep-conditioning hair
- Doing at-home facials & facemasks
- Lighting candles
- Playing with pets
- Getting rid of old unused items
- Doing full makeup and hair
- Making the bed
- Eating yummy food
- Listening to podcasts
- Connecting with old friends
- Listening to relaxing music
- Diffusing essential oils
- Sitting in the sun
- Reading books
- Coloring and drawing
- Doing crafts and DIY projects
- Making gratitude lists
- Watching old movies
I was really impressed to see all the different ways people are taking care of themselves and their mental health- it made me want to add a few new things to my daily routine. My challenge to you reading this is to pick and practice at least 3 things off the list above on the daily, and change it up so you’re not constantly doing the same things. Its so easy to get lost in everyday life and I want to remind you that YOU also need to be a priority on your list. Give yourself permission to pause, because taking care of yourself is not selfish. Don’t let your batteries get completely drained, charge them!
I want to end this blog post by saying whoever you are, whatever you’re going through, however you’re feeling- I’m here for you. If you ever need somebody to talk to please feel free to reach out, my personal email is dani.anastasia@yahoo.com. Stay healthy and stay safe, we’re going to get through this together.
Sending all my love!
