My first post in a very long time is a heavy one, filled with emotions, but it’s one I felt I needed to make. One for my own healing journey. I don’t plan to make many like this, but if something I write is helpful to someone else, that’s all I really want and it’s one of the reasons I started this blog in the first place.
Who are we really? Do you ever take time every now and again to think of who we really are? I don’t just mean Wife, Mother, Daughter, Friend, Girlfriend. I mean who we really are as people…
I’m writing this post and being really vulnerable as a way to get back into some blogging, helping myself to feel like “Me” again, and hopefully in the process to help anyone else who’s going through the same kind of thing to realize that they are not alone.
I should point out that these opinions are my own, I am far from a professional, but hopefully it may start a discussion either with me, or with people in your life, the importance of mental health and how important it is to feel your best in all aspects of your life. I wanted to share a few things that I’m doing or going to try and do, and by posting about it, I’m hoping it will keep me accountable, and if you read this and start to make changes in your own life, its an added bonus!
My hope was, when I started this blog, to show little things that I’m doing and sharing them with readers, in the hopes that people can realize their full potential in all things, ( I should take my own advice sometimes), whether it be in baking, decorating, putting outfits together, gardening, photography or daily life. My thoughts were that if “I can do it, anyone can do it”. And being kind to people and helping people out when they need. Which, if you go back to my questions at the first of this post, that’s part of who I am.
In the last year I had some life changes, which I won’t say what was good and what was bad. But they all resulted in me having some mental health changes and trying to figure out the best way for me to get back on track to feeling more like myself.
In the past I used to exercise some, walked a lot, liked to read, photography, and being creative, baking, spending time with friends and family. But if anyone who has gone through something similar knows, if you’re not feeling yourself, you don’t feel like doing mahjong ways any of the things you used to once love. In the past year I have walked probably only a handful of times, taken my camera out on only a few occasions when I did actually notice a nice sunset or pretty sky. Nothing like I would have in the past.
I’m listing a few things I find helpful, some I’ve been doing, some are a work in progress.
Ways to get back on track
- Set small goals (some of mine have been to drink 2 large bottles of water a day, take my vitamins, and go for at least 2 walks a week)
- Spend time in silence. Just sit with your morning coffee or somewhere you are comfortable and just be present with yourself.
- Set a morning routine. This one is hard for me, I am not a morning person, but I’m hoping by writing about it that I will get my a$$ out of bed earlier and start a healthier morning routine, instead of sitting with coffee until late morning. Haha… oops!
- Spend time in nature. Wether its close to the water, listening to the waves crashing or water rushing in a stream, or the leaves rustling in the wind. It may sound odd, but it’s very helpful in helping with anxiety. Never underestimate the power of the way nature can make you feel.
- Exercise. I haven’t started this one yet, but it’s on my to do list.
- Pick up and do things you once loved. For me this one is my camera. I have not been feeling at all creative, but the more I pick up my camera, I’m hoping this comes back. It’s a slow process. Other ideas are baking, reading, walking, knitting, sewing, gardening, something you once loved but found you weren’t doing it.
- Spend time with family and friends. Invite a friend to go for a walk. Plan things together with friends or family or your significant other. If you’re finding it hard to be a part of social gatherings, plan smaller things with the close people in your life. If you’re having a hard time to want to plan or do things like you used to, appoint someone close to you in your life to plan something then all you have to do is show up. I’m sure the people closest to you will just be glad you are there.
- Organize your life. By this I mean little things that can be done or prepped ahead of time so you’re not feeling rushed, therefore feeling less anxious as things need to be done. This was something I used to do all the time but slowly found I was not doing it anymore. It’s a slow process to get back into it.
- Talk to someone. This is a really important one! It can be a friend, family member, health care member, counsellor, anyone in your life you are comfortable with. It’s also important you know you’re not alone in the feelings your feeling. Everyone goes through rough patches in life. (If you are from PEI, there are some links to Mental health support on the Government of PEI website.
- Treating yourself to fresh flowers 🙂 This is something I always did, so it was important to me that I continue.
- The importance of self care. It can be something as small and simple as taking time in the morning in the quiet to enjoy your morning coffee, treating yourself to a pedicure, manicure, hair appointment, new outfit, put on some perfume, something to make you feel good about yourself.
I also just want to remind everyone that these are my own opinions, I am not a professional but I hope in my ramblings I can help someone going through something similar. And like I said, to keep myself accountable. If you have any tips or info you would like to share with me as you’re going through your own journey, please feel free to share. You can private message me on Facebook or comment at the end of this blog post.
My posts from here on out will feature a different location ( I no longer live where I once lived).
In the fall I moved to a very quiet and peaceful spot. Which is both good and bad. Good in that it’s peaceful and quiet, bad in that it’s a little out of the way so less company or people stopping by.
I’ve also realized the importance of acceptance. Acceptance of your own actions, acceptance of new people in your life, and an open mindedness that things are different but that doesn’t mean they are bad, just different. Forgiveness in both yourself and others. And the open mindedness that everything happens for a reason.
I do have a boyfriend, we try to be supportive of each other’s mental health. Daily check in’s to see how the other is doing, one or both of us suggesting a walk together as a way to clear our heads and help with anxiety, like I talked about earlier. One or both of us pushing the other to do something a little out of our comfort zone in an effort to feel our best.
He’s also taught me a few things as well, like the importance of being independent, but that asking for help or accepting help is not a bad thing, and that you’re never a burden to the people in your life who care about you.
There is a quote iv’e read and heard quite a few times in the past. You never know what someone else is going through, so treat people with kindness.
This post is vulnerable, please be kind! 🙂
