(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, and mental health problems/general mental health)
I think we could all do with some positivity right now.
We all need to take care of our mental health. You don't need to have a mental health problem in order to be struggling with your mental health.
We all need to take care of ourselves.
So here's one of my famous (notorious? infamous? who knows,) pep talks, with the hopes that it'll do some good, somewhere.
Disclaimer time:
I'm not a mental health professional. I'm a chick from Wales with personal experience of Anxiety/Depression, and a handful of common sense (so rare these days!)
I hope this will help people, but I know it won't help everyone. What works for you, works for you.
Things are tough right now, I know.
And things are allowed to be tough - things are allowed to feel wrong. And it's not your fault.
Struggling is not a reflection on you as a person. And you are so f**king strong, even when you don't feel like it.
I know, a lot of you - of us - will be feeling like we're not as 'worthy' as other people right now. I promise that's not true.
There are some things you deserve - you are worthy of - no reservations:
- you deserve safety
- you deserve enough food and drink
- you deserve hygienic and pleasant conditions
- you deserve somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep, and to sleep well
- you deserve love (whether romantic or non-romantic)
- you deserve happiness - even when it feels a million miles away
- you deserve to go easy on yourself
- you deserve to take care of yourself in whatever (safe and responsible) form that needs to take
- you deserve affection and people who will lift you up, instead of tear you down
And those of you thinking 'that doesn't apply to me'...? It counts double. Every time you say that it doesn't, it counts more.
YOU are special. YOU are worthy. YOU deserve all the things you need to be happy and healthy and to feel loved and accepted and beautiful.
 |
| Via Giphy |
Life doesn't always give us the things we need. But we deserve them. YOU deserve them. YOU are worthy of love and life and happiness.
And putting yourself first in terms of taking care of yourself - especially at the moment - is NOT selfish.
It's important.
Because you have just as much value as anyone else (sh! I can hear you disagreeing, and you do!)
It's important.
Because you have just as much value as anyone else (sh! I can hear you disagreeing, and you do!)
It's OK if you can't help with the Covid 19 outbreak as much as you want to -
- if you can't volunteer because of circumstances, or because you know your illness would make you incapable of doing so. (The last thing medical people need is me having a panic attack when I turned up for volunteering...)
It's ok if you know that volunteering isn't for you, because you just need to make it through every day as it comes.
- if you can't volunteer because of circumstances, or because you know your illness would make you incapable of doing so. (The last thing medical people need is me having a panic attack when I turned up for volunteering...)
It's ok if you know that volunteering isn't for you, because you just need to make it through every day as it comes.
You are fricking AMAZING. Step by step, day by day, you are Still Here. You are so brave and amazing and I am so goddamned proud of you!
The best thing you can do right now? The thing that will help everyone else? Is to take care of YOU.
Because sometimes coping feels like more than a million everests. But all you need to do is focus on the next step. The ones after that don't matter - not right now.
The next step is what matters.
That one done? OK, now you can move on, and think about the next one.
The next.
The next.
Try not to think about the size of the mountain you're climbing - the terrain is odd and legend says the journey is apt to change like Hogwarts staircases.
But all roads lead to the top. I know this for sure. (And you know I wouldn't lie to you!)
So you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
And those footsteps are sometimes funny-looking.
Sometimes they look like a long bath, complete with bubbles. Sometimes they look like taking a nap. Sometimes they look like blasting heavy metal music.
Sometimes they look like a long bath, complete with bubbles. Sometimes they look like taking a nap. Sometimes they look like blasting heavy metal music.
All that matters is taking those steps. One. At. A. Time.
The other thing that matters - the thing that we can and should ALL be doing - is staying at home.
Some countries are in lockdown. Other countries aren't, but should still be practicing good hygiene and social distancing.
Stay at home as much as you safely and responsibly can. Cos sometimes you have to leave the house - and if you're anything like me, you'll feel so guilty for doing that... but it's a balancing act.
If you let your physical and mental health decline because you haven't been going out for a walk -
(in countries where we're still allowed to do that once a day - provided we keep circa 2m/6ft away from people who don't live with us,)
- then it does no-one any good. I promise.
If you really wanna help the health service and emergency workers?
Take care of yourself, so that they won't need to take care of you any more than is necessary (if it's necessary, you can't blame yourself, ok? I'll find out, and be sad, and you don't want me sad,) and you'll stop the spread of the virus.
You are literally kicking this thing's metaphorical a** by staying in and watching Netflix, ok?
(And shout out to anyone who still has to go out to work! Stay safe, keep good hygiene, and know that you're ALL rockstars - whether you work in the supermarket or the hospital.)
...If you're worried, that's what you should tell yourself. Because it's true.
Try not to worry.
(...I know, I know, for a start that's hypocritical af because I've had several full-on panic attacks in the last month, and for a second, that's much easier said than done! Still kinda important to hear though.
You need to focus on the next step, ok?
That's all you need to focus on right now.
The next step.
That might be brushing your teeth. Or putting your socks on. Or petting the cat. Baby steps, and all that. (Baby steps rock! Ok?!)
As Frozen 2 recently re-iterated, 'do the next right thing'
(If you're not aware of this song: a warning that it's quite sad in places, but it is full of hope, and so might help, ok?)
My dearest darling nerdlets, I don't have a magic wand (fairy godmother's hogging all those,) that I can wave and make everything ok.
If I did, I would've used it by now.
All I have is a concerningly optimistic outlook (can you imagine how depressed I'd be if I didn't...? Argh!) and the stubborn 'I will never let go'-hold on hope that I've somehow developed over the years.
(You have to keep hold of hope with both hands - finger-tips if you have to!)
Take care of yourselves, dearest nerdlets, and remember:
Where there's life there's hope, and where there's hope there's life.
YOU matter. And I'm so proud of you just for keeping going right now. You're amazing! I can't say that enough.
Need help, or just need to talk? So proud of you!:
International readers can check for helplines in this directory, and readers in the UK and ROI can get in contact with The Samaritans to talk about anything at all.
You can follow me on Twitter @CeeDoraReads, on Pinterest, and on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page
Related Reading:
If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it on your socials! Take care, stay safe, and stay home as much as you can! 💖
The other thing that matters - the thing that we can and should ALL be doing - is staying at home.
 |
| Via Giphy |
Some countries are in lockdown. Other countries aren't, but should still be practicing good hygiene and social distancing.
Stay at home as much as you safely and responsibly can. Cos sometimes you have to leave the house - and if you're anything like me, you'll feel so guilty for doing that... but it's a balancing act.
If you let your physical and mental health decline because you haven't been going out for a walk -
(in countries where we're still allowed to do that once a day - provided we keep circa 2m/6ft away from people who don't live with us,)
- then it does no-one any good. I promise.
If you really wanna help the health service and emergency workers?
Take care of yourself, so that they won't need to take care of you any more than is necessary (if it's necessary, you can't blame yourself, ok? I'll find out, and be sad, and you don't want me sad,) and you'll stop the spread of the virus.
You are literally kicking this thing's metaphorical a** by staying in and watching Netflix, ok?
(And shout out to anyone who still has to go out to work! Stay safe, keep good hygiene, and know that you're ALL rockstars - whether you work in the supermarket or the hospital.)
...If you're worried, that's what you should tell yourself. Because it's true.
Try not to worry.
(...I know, I know, for a start that's hypocritical af because I've had several full-on panic attacks in the last month, and for a second, that's much easier said than done! Still kinda important to hear though.
You need to focus on the next step, ok?
That's all you need to focus on right now.
The next step.
That might be brushing your teeth. Or putting your socks on. Or petting the cat. Baby steps, and all that. (Baby steps rock! Ok?!)
As Frozen 2 recently re-iterated, 'do the next right thing'
(If you're not aware of this song: a warning that it's quite sad in places, but it is full of hope, and so might help, ok?)
My dearest darling nerdlets, I don't have a magic wand (fairy godmother's hogging all those,) that I can wave and make everything ok.
If I did, I would've used it by now.
All I have is a concerningly optimistic outlook (can you imagine how depressed I'd be if I didn't...? Argh!) and the stubborn 'I will never let go'-hold on hope that I've somehow developed over the years.
(You have to keep hold of hope with both hands - finger-tips if you have to!)
Take care of yourselves, dearest nerdlets, and remember:
Where there's life there's hope, and where there's hope there's life.
YOU matter. And I'm so proud of you just for keeping going right now. You're amazing! I can't say that enough.
Need help, or just need to talk? So proud of you!:
International readers can check for helplines in this directory, and readers in the UK and ROI can get in contact with The Samaritans to talk about anything at all.
Related Reading:
If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it on your socials! Take care, stay safe, and stay home as much as you can! 💖
Hey Cee, thanks so much for your pep talks. You always speak with such heart. I truly know you care. This is definitely one of my favourite poses of yours!
ReplyDelete*posts
DeleteAw Em you are so sweet! <3 Thanks for the truly awesome comment! Take care of yourself, k? <3
DeleteThanks for continuing to share your positive outlook in these increasingly negative times!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! :) <3
DeleteExcellent pep talk! Keeping ourselves safe and healthy is the best thing we can do individually right now. I hope April will be easier for you in terms of fewer panic attacks? I've restarted basic yoga which I hadn't done for years (decades!) and am finding the quiet half hour each day to be beneficial
ReplyDeleteThanks. I hope so too, but I doubt it. Still, one step at a time!
DeleteI've worked from home for years, I'm an introvert and I also avoid the news (almost religiously), I rarely used to go out even before. So right now I feel like I live on another planet as everyone else, cause for me it's life as usual, and I kind of feel guilty about that. Should I be doing something else? Should I be at the very least freaking out? But I mean, that doesn't help anyone, does it..?
ReplyDeleteI work from home as well - I'm just more used to some level of freedom! Lol. Plus the whole *waves hand at the news* is freaking me out.
DeleteDon't feel bad if you're doing ok though! Take advantage of it, and fit some self-care in to stave off *not* doing ok! <3