Recently I started seeing a psychiatrist and we discussed the ways in which I could help myself get out of those really low moods. We discussed things like journaling and talking to someone about how I’m feeling. We also discussed meditation and yoga and other things I know that help me like working out or just getting outside for a little while. Figuring out the things that help me with those moods has made a huge difference but hasn’t fully helped, changing our mindset sometimes takes factors outside of ourselves, including medication which is something no one should ever be ashamed of. But it also takes time and some hard work. 

I fell off of my gym schedule for a little bit as I adjusted to taking medication that was making me feel drowsy and more drained but I talked to my psychiatrist about how to handle it and we adjusted the time and dosages of my medication and with that, I was able to get up in the mornings and get back to consistently being in the gym. We also started taking walks in the afternoon as the weather had cooled off. I also found that one of the harder things I deal with from anxiety is having a hard time settling my mind and body down to sleep at night. We recently started doing nightly meditations that last up to half an hour but honestly, I have found myself settling into sleep long before that. 

These past few months have brought on some clairty for me, I have struggled with who I am and who I want to be for so long and as I finally take the steps to better myself and my mental and physical health I have started to set new goals. As someone who never knew where I wanted to be headed in life, I have found that I am planning and setting myself up to be in a good place. 

I think what works for some people does not work for everyone. I have still not really found help from things like journaling, but I know it is self-soothing and has a huge impact on some people. I think the best thing you can do is find the things that work best for you, find somewhere or something you can do to clear your mind and give you the chance to free up your brain for a little while and give yourself room to think. The best thing you can do for yourself, especially heading into the holiday season when sometimes things get harder, is work on finding a safe pace for yourself to heal and come back to yourself when you’re feeling down.