Hey everyone,
If I am honest, this is not the post I had planned for today, but I feel like it is needed. The past couple of days, I have been so proud of myself because I’ve been productive in a healthy way. I go to the gym, do lots of school while at the university, go to my lectures, and come home feeling like I actually have time to myself. While I know we won’t always feel good, I want to implement things in my life that help me navigate these tougher feelings.
This morning, I felt a little behind compared to the past few days. I hit snooze more times than I care to admit, which is an immediate buzzkill to the day. I still went to the gym and got started on school early, but I noticed I took more breaks and never really got into a good flow. Now, I think breaks are a great thing, but I know for myself, too many breaks interrupt my flow, which means I never truly get into my work. I came home from the university early because my classes were cancelled, but when I got home, I felt like all my energy had been drained. I tried to do some work, but I got so irrationally overwhelmed with what I was doing, so I knew I needed to stop. I planned to have a snack and read my book before getting back into my work. And then I spent two hours on my phone.
As you all know, I feel like I’m letting my phone ruin my life. Maybe that’s a dramatic way of saying it, but the reality is, it is having a really negative impact. While I do plan to continue working on getting my screen time down, it isn’t easy. Our phones are designed to keep us on them, so it isn’t surprising how easy I get sucked in. With that being said, I eventually turned my phone off, made myself some food, and decided I needed to get out of my own head.
The first step to getting out of my head was putting down my phone and getting up. After I did that, I focused on being intentional. I put on Heather’s day 3 of vlogmas while I cooked and ate, and then I realized I needed something that made me feel good. For me that meant a couple of things.
Number 1. I put on a video from Unjaded Jade that I keep in a saved playlist because I know it inspires me. I recommend finding things that inspire you to get moving. You don’t have to change the world, but sometimes a little push is all you need.
Number 2. I took the garbage out. Now, I know it sounds silly, but taking the garbage out sounded like a lot of work. It is cold and snowy out, so it doesn’t feel like quite the quick and easy taskāeven though it still is. I put my coat on and carried it all out. Seeing the space where the recycling builds up clean again was such a relief. Do the small things that make you feel relieved, and even accomplished. Whether that’s taking the garbage out, making the bed, tidying the living room, or literally any other small task, I encourage you to do it. Completing the small tasks that take 5 minutes can help you feel better because it shows yourself that you can get up and accomplish things even while you’re feeling, well, rubbish.
Number 3. I haven’t gotten to these next two points yet, but the second I hit post, I am moving on to them. I have been wanting to get back into yoga lately, and I feel like grounding my body is exactly what I need right now. During COVID, my mom and I got really into yoga, and I know that it makes me feel better. While yoga may not work for you, I challenge you to find something that grounds you, such as meditation or journaling or going for a walk.
Number 4. I am also going to journal after I finish this. I find that journaling is the perfect way for me to get all the thoughts out of my head. Through the act of journaling, I am able to rationalize and work through the way I am feeling. I genuinely believe that journaling is the best way for me to work through all the thoughts in my brain because I can work through it all productively. Once I write it, a weight is lifted. Additionally, forcing myself to put my thoughts into words means I have to actually focus on what I am feeling, instead of spiralling further in my brain. A journal provides space for your thoughts when they no longer fit in your head.
Number 5. I am going to focus on the things that make me feel good tonight, and tomorrow I can focus on the work that needs to get done. I recognize that it’s a privilege to wait for tomorrow, but I also know I have this privilege because I work hard most days in hopes it will benefit future me. Most likely, I’ll make myself a tea, read my book, and potentially watch more of Jade’s videos.
It is so easy to slip into my own head and stress, but I am working towards being more mindful to ensure I don’t spiral too far. Today I knew something didn’t feel right, and I let myself lean into it. While it is important to allow ourselves to feel things, it is also important to let them pass. My therapist taught me a strategy called leaves on a stream to help deal with uncomfortable thoughts. Essentially, you picture yourself by a stream, and your thoughts become leaves that you watch float by on a stream. It is a way of acknowledging how you are feeling without dwelling on it. There are many guided meditations on YouTube, so if you think this will help you, I recommend checking them out.
December is a busy and stressful month, especially as a student, so I encourage you to take care of yourself. Find what grounds you, what makes you happy, what calms you down, and then take the time to do it. You deserve to take care of yourself.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post because I enjoyed writing it. If you are looking for more content from me, check out my Instagram. Let me know what you do to keep yourself grounded! To all my students out there, good luck with finals and the end of the semester! I know you can do it.
Hailey