do you have any self-care ideas that we can do daily for anxiety and depression? as well as maybe any affirmations pls? ty in advance love x
hi sweet pea. ♡ since i made a whole plan for myself to survive throughout this month, here are some tips that are personally working for me:
have a planner, a notepad, anything you can write on that's easily accessible to you. it can be a pretty journal or just a plain black sketchbook. when we're depressed / anxious, it's easy for our brains to function in weird ways & disassociate, get foggy or forgetful, so write down everything you feel called to.
i wake up and usually write a few goals for the day / week (showering, eating, etc) as well as my thoughts throughout those hours to identify if something's triggering my anxiety / depression any further. i don't know why, but i found it that documenting my journey and accomplishments (even in small ways) really helps.
stay close to beautiful and pretty things. this is going to sound weird, but i'm someone who's very visual. perhaps you pay more attention to sounds or touch, but pay attention to what gives you sensory pleasure. to me, it's looking at pretty stuff. i am re-decorating my room, i'm always saving pics of the sunrise / sunset on my phone and i'm following a lot of pretty nature / trip posts on instagram. i like to put a bit of color on myself as well, so try on different makeup looks, go on pinterest look at pretty clothes. anything that helps you remember life is beautiful too.
for anxiety, i know a looooooot of people emphasize on breathing techniques but they don't work for me!!!!! the more someone tells me to breathe, the more i panic thinking i can't breathe. and then it gets worse. what works for people is different, but for me i found that self-soothing is reeeeally great. if i have to go out in public and i know i'm having a bad day, i usually bring something comforting with me in my backpack / purse. whether it's a book, a small plushie, a picture of my baby self that i love or anything that brings comfort to my heart. you can also learn how to self-massage because it keeps you grounded and helps you release tension in your body.
struggling is not shameful in any way. i know we like to preach that "be a badass and move on" kinda thing on social media, but we're only human. it's okay if you can't get everything done. or anything done, sometimes. and remember to ask for help. staying close to friends (both online + offline) was veeeeery helpful to me because it kept me more focused on the present and it reminded me that i'm not ever alone. ever.
for affirmations, it depends on what helps you. some people like reassurance, others like comfort, others prefer neutral affirmations. when i'm shaky or i can't sleep, i like to put on comforting meditations that are kind of like.. soothing my inner child? if that makes sense. i talk really gently to myself because i know i'm a mushy marshmallow on the inside & that's also what i need. by the way, don't be afraid to ask friends to reaffirm / reassure you when you can't.
i also like keeping affirmations everywhere - i have a saved folder on instagram just for recovery affirmations when i'm too panicky and can't help myself. i have kept them in my notes on my phone as well and also saved helpful pictures for when i'm having an emergency.
that's mostly what has helped me!! also, again, for the affirmations, i wanna make a post for myself + others, so i'll likely be posting a few that you can also use for you. ♡