tbh i know when it comes to mental illness its really important to address higher order concerns before lower order concerns like. focusing on getting out of bed before you try to clean your entire house or whatever. but i guess what i wish someone had told me when i was very depressed is that sometimes addressing lower order concerns will actually lessen the bad feelings of higher order concerns. often higher order concerns are more abstract—things like im tired all the time or i want to lose weight or i feel upset and down and i don’t know what to do about it. and when people say that they have complaints like this and they don’t really know where to start my advice is to always start small but think big.
like just last week i started making my bed every morning. not that big of a deal right? except i never used to do it, and it made my room look messier, and i thought oh well i just dont have time for that. but then i thought hey i might as well start making my bed, just to try to be neater. and now it’s easier for me to clean my room because i want my room to be tidy like my bed. i get a better night’s sleep in a bed that’s made. i’ve created a ritual that’s something i can feel proud of every morning. and this is honestly the type of stuff that will really elevate you or help you change your mood so much, esp if you are someone who deals w mental illness.
if you try to eat healthy, that translates to a happier disposition, better skin, and a general feeling of digestive wellness. if you shower even when you don’t want to, you feel clean and like you’ve accomplished something, which can translate to wanting to accomplish more things. small things like cleaning your room, doing the dishes, getting the sleep that you need, journaling, exercising a couple times a week—all these goals are small but achievable, and even on your worst days you will be able to do something that will just make you feel a little bit better. even if i do nothing else and all i can manage to do is sit around in my pajamas from 9am to 9pm, at least i can go to sleep that night knowing i made my bed that day.
♉️
| cait • 22 • bi • english major |
