It is safe to say that life since the pandemic has become difficult to handle.
If whatever you’re dealing with has become unbearable, you are not alone. We’ve all been there, especially now more than ever, with 1 in 3 U.S. adults falling into depression. So if you feel like you’ve got a cloud over your head, you’re struggling to get out of bed, or anything in between, listen up; this one is for you.
Take a Moment to Breathe
With so much chaos, an issue in our lives can start spiraling, and before you know it, your emotions are starting to get the best of you.
It’s not easy feeling down, and it’s even less easy finding the strength to climb up from ‘rock bottom’ if you’ve reached it or getting there. Try not to go hard on yourself for struggling or being unable to operate like usual. The point is that everyone starts somewhere and your journey to a happier state of mind begins with baby steps.
The misconception is that you have to go from 0 to 100 immediately to feel accomplished. Only, it doesn’t have to be this way. If you adjust how you approach self-care to whatever state you are in, you can start little by little. By taking on small, quick tasks that you can easily accomplish, your productivity and good mood can snowball from there.
Life Hacks For When You’re…
For the days where you can’t seem to get up, can’t find the strength to start the morning or struggle to take care of your hygiene, take a look at travel-size, disposable products. Keeping spit-free ‘wisp’ toothbrushes, baby powder, wet wipes, and other hygienic materials by your side during these tough times can help increase your likeliness to do them. This way, you can practice some healthy habits even when it’s hardest to do so. Dr. Mackie gives some more teeth-friendly ideas in this TikTok if you need them.
When food and water is the last thing on your mind, you’re probably not nourishing and hydrating your body like recommended. But don’t worry or overwhelm yourself. There are ways to make eating and drinking healthy and enjoyable! For a fast and nutritious meal, throw whatever fruits and veggies you have on hand into a blender. To ensure you’re getting enough fluids, there are plenty of reminder apps that help track your water intake. This adorable app Plant Nanny is a favorite for its idea of watering a little planet with every glass of water you drink. It reminds us that proper nourishment and care help a little flower bloom, just like this journey up from rock bottom.
You might also want to consider taking a break from social media if you’re a heavy user. If you find yourself scrolling your days away, much more anxious about your life compared to others, or just generally bored of everything, maybe it’s a sign to unplug for a bit. It’s indefinite that social media plays a huge part in our mental health, so don’t neglect how it might be affecting you. There’s zero shame in taking a digital mental health break – celebrities do it too.
With that, I urge you to open up your windows, put on some feel-good music, and spend some time outside if you can. Taking a moment to absorb sunlight and get fresh air can work wonders for your mood and general anxiety. Sometimes connecting with nature is enough to ground us back to Earth and kickstart our healthy habits again.
Finally, and we can’t stress this enough: there’s always help available. These emotions that we have and the things we experience can be complex. You shouldn’t have to go through it and try to fix it alone.
The Key Takeaway
Overall, this was meant to remind you that taking things one step at a time is okay. You don’t have to be picture-perfect to have a good day. It’s in the little things adding up into consistent achievements that make a huge difference over time.
Perhaps the number one thing everyone should remember, though, is that feeling better starts with understanding that you deserve to feel better. We unknowingly keep ourselves down by continually thinking we are ‘worthless’ or ‘helpless.’ The truth is that you are far from those things; you’re worth putting in the work to turn the lemons into lemonade.
