If the pandemic has taught me anything, it is to take care of yourself first. You can’t keep putting it off. I (hopefully) have many more years on this Earth, so I’d rather learn how to take care of myself sooner rather than later. No one else is going to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. Of course, you have friends and family that will be there for you and might strongly encourage you, but you are with yourself more than anyone else. So, you must take care of yourself. You have to take care of yourself so that you can focus on school, work, relationships with others, and so on. How can you pour from an empty glass?

I know that taking care of yourself is easier said than done, especially for people, like myself, that struggle with mental health. Trust me, I know. It’s something I’ve been learning to do the past couple of months. It’s not easy and it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. It’s just trial and error to see what works for you. And that’s okay. In regards to self-care, the most helpful thing I’ve been doing is being intentional with my choices. That is, making the conscious decision to do something specifically for myself. “I am going on a walk to clear my mind and recenter myself.” I think the intention setting is more important than the action.

Taking care of yourself isn’t something you can just learn to do overnight, so be patient with yourself and take small steps.

Until next time,

B