Hi friends, long time no see!!
As the title of this post suggests, life has just been requiring me to really focus on taking care of my mental health lately! It’s been all good things for the most part, just extremely chaotic and a little bit tricky to manage. As I’m navigating it all, I’ve had to take a step back from this blog because after many 12+ hour days staring at my laptop and phone, I’ve mostly just been wanting to check out and turn off my brain entirely!
But I really miss being on here and creating, so I’m hoping this is very temporary. I’ve been really trying to make time for self care, rest, and quiet to make sure I don’t burnout and can back to my hobbies very soon. Here are a few of the daily practices that have been helping me when I’m overwhelmed or need to take a beat for myself!
Spending less time on my phone whenever I have the chance. It’s tough when most of my life is social media (both my full time job and side hustle), but I’m learning to spend any free time I have doing anything else. I’m trying to remind myself that I have a right, just like everyone else, to take time off and not be on email 24/7!
Putting less pressure on myself when it comes to social media, my to-do list, workouts, and even when I have a bad day. This might be the biggest one for me lately, and why I’ve been posting less on this blog honestly! I’ve realized that the only person putting that pressure on myself to post on Instagram everyday, write on this blog, post YouTube videos, make Tik Toks and all of these other things is me. And while they’re wonderful goals to have, this might just be a season of being less consistent with them. I can’t do it all, and that’s okay!
Closing out of social media by 9pm. Aside from playing a horrible comparison game when it comes to Instagram and Tik Tok, it also seriously stimulates my brain. For someone who already has terrible sleeping problems, I’ve learned to get off those apps and read instead! Or even online “window shop” because for some reason that calms me…haha
Walking. This has always been a favorite practice of mine, but I turn to walking to get both fresh air and peace of mind. Even before we had our dog Ovi I would walk at least once a day because it’s the best therapy!! Sometimes I’ll listen to a podcast, but lately I’ve been listening to music that makes me happy or even nothing at all.
Treating myself. Whether it’s a coffee from my favorite (overpriced) coffee shop, an afternoon dessert, or something small like a candle, I’ve been trying to give myself “presents.” It might not be the most cost-effective habit, and it’s definitely not an everyday thing, but these small joys help make each day better!
I promise I’ll be more present on here soon, it’s just been a very transitional month for me and I feel like I’m finally, maybe, getting my bearings! Thank you being patient with me 🙂
What are some of your go-to self care or mental health practices?
xo Jordan
