HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY: Take Time for Yourself
I've somehow allowed myself to get swept into a whirlwind. My 9 to 5, blogging, social life, dating, and preparing for school has seriously burnt me out. I mean I-can't-keep-my-eyes-open-at-any-point in-the-day burnt out. I'm-so-cranky-I-could-kick-a-baby burnt out. My body is aching, my head is always pounding, and I'm taking out the frustration on people I care about. Eventually, enough has to be enough.
Talking to a friend last night about why I stopped going to the gym, I responded "I'm busy". That's usually my answer for everything. Too busy to cook proper, healthy meals. Too busy for the gym. Too busy to call my family. Stop it. You are not busy. I need to learn to take time for myself and ignore the plethora of distractions set before me. Social media, smartphones, video chatting, texting, and television have become the norm. How could I possibly find time to sit and relax when there's so much happening in the world? If I'm not doing anything, I feel like I'm missing something.
The world will continue to move with or without you. Most likely the latter if you ignore your mental health.
Our bodies are engineered to send us signals when it is in distress. A twitching eye, frequent migraines, muscle spasms and irritability are signs that something is wrong. Take heed.
So what can you do to take time for yourself?
SIT. DOWN.
Relax. Don't think about work. Don't think about the multiple things you have to do. Sit on the couch, read a book, make a bracelet, knit a scarf. Just sit and be with yourself. Too "busy"? Take a walk instead of sitting with co-workers for lunch, don't talk on the phone while doing everything. I've started walking three subway stops away from my job and taking that time to just exist with myself. Once a month, I go alone to a local coffee shop to watch people perform poetry and sing songs, with my phone tucked in my bag and on silent. Take little nooks and crannies in your day, whether it's one hour a week or ten minutes a day.
SLOW DOWN. BE STILL.
Is anyone else feeling my pain? What are some of your tricks for catching little gems of solitude throughout the day?