I’m a control freak, I’ll admit it. Being in control keeps my anxiety down. And in the past week or so, my anxiety has been high because it seems like there’s not much I can control. With that being said, I wanted to share some mental health tips I’ve found helpful with our community.
I also have chronic depression. I try to keep a schedule to maintain it. But things have been chaotic and I am definitely feeling it. I’ve had a few bad days. And that’s okay! Today has been a good day & I’m moving forward! I’m not going to feel guilty that I haven’t accomplished much this week — I’m going to just move forward & take things one day at a time.
How are you dealing with things? Are you keeping tabs on your mental health? What things have helped you & what has given you more anxiety? Here are some mental health tips that have helped me:
- Gratitude list — I wrote it down on a big whiteboard next to my desk so I’m reminded that I’m not sick & my husband doesn’t work from home! đŸ˜‰
- Daily walks — fresh air + a little exercise + my dog help to clear my head. And I always leave my phone alone during this time!
- Do something good — on my walks, I sometimes see garbage in the ditches, especially in the spring after the snow melts. Instead of getting frustrated about it, I grab a garbage bag, walk down the road, and pick up trash – it doesn’t take long to fill a bag, and I feel a little better knowing I did something good.
- Distract yourself — if my mind is spiraling into Anxietytown USA, I need to distract it with something shiny. đŸ˜‰ I love comedy and will jump on YouTube to watch some old SNL sketches to distract myself when I need a little pick-me-up. But I also enjoy reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, going through a Buzzfeed quiz, or looking at my Pinterest board titled “These are a few of my favorite things.” Yes, this is like The Sound of Music in Pinterest form.
- Little prayers — whenever I find myself anxious or complaining, I say a little prayer asking that God helps us all through this & tell myself that He has a plan. *If you don’t pray, try meditating & focusing on a word or phrase like “let it go” or “this will pass”.
- DANCE PARTY — sometimes I just need to dance it out. If I’m having a bad day, listening to slow, rainy-day style music will just make me feel worse. Instead, I put on something upbeat that you may think is cheesy, but always perks me up. Here are the playlists I’ve made to help cheer me up: Girly Songs. Disney Tunes. On Broadway.
- Unplugging — when my husband gets home from work, I try to leave my phone alone & have conversations with him. We’re currently redoing our basement so I ask how I can help. It’s good to get away from the information-overload.
- Eating healthy — now isn’t the time to gain 15 pounds! Find something else to do instead of grabbing another cookie. Everything is good in moderation, but if you find yourself mindlessly eating, try to change your habit. I’ve been doing 10 push-ups instead!
- Limit alcohol — everything in moderation! Remember, alcohol is a depressant & if you’re like me, you don’t need something else to get you down. I fear for the people that will turn to alcohol because they’re stuck at home. If your kids have got you stressed, try taking a bath (lock the door!) or drinking some warm tea instead.
- Check-in with others — I’m not the best at this. I don’t like to talk about my feelings so I tend to process them in my head or journal about them. But you may need to talk to someone! Or your friend may need to talk to you but doesn’t know how to ask.
Have you tried any of these mental health tips?
What is helping you?
Who are you leaning on?
Have you checked in with yourself today?
We’re here for you, our entire community at The Boutique Hub is banding together like never before to support you and this crazy world we live in.
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