When we are faced with challenges, our minds can play tricks on us. Making us feel as if we aren’t important and that our presence doesn’t matter to those around us. Look around and you’ll find people who care, and that you mean the world too. You matter, and your existence in this world matters and makes a difference to those around you. I know it’s easy to lose sight of this on those bad days. When the world feels like it’s crashing down, and no one would miss you if you disappeared. Your presence will be missed by all those who’ve gotten the chance to get to you know.

We all tend to get stuck in our heads from time to time. Overthinking or ruminating over things that we can’t change or haven’t happened. It can easily take over our mental space and take us away from what’s going on around us. Grounding is the practice of bringing our awareness back to the here and now. It takes your attention from your thoughts and emotions and it refocuses it on our bodies and the world around us. Grounding exercises help us become present in our lives. Whether it’s day-to-day stress or severe anxiety or depression. Grounding exercises can help you to break the cycle of troublesome mental habits. We are all a student of our own mental and emotional state. When we become more aware of what triggers anxiety or causes us to be overwhelmed. We are able to break those recurring cycles and maintain a healthy response.

Your lifestyle can play a part in how your anxiety affects you. If you’re staying up late, eating poorly, and stressed. Then you’re contributing to how your anxiety affects you. Our lifestyle choices are a simple yet powerful tool in combating anxiety and depression. Paired with professional help, healthy lifestyle changes can help relieve anxiety. It puts you in a better position for managing your anxiety. Your anxiety doesn’t have to control you, instead, you can control it by living a healthy lifestyle.

Letting go of the past is breaking free from what was. It’s breaking a free from a cycle to move forward from dwelling on what you used to have and moving on to something new. Finding yourself stuck in the past is a part of being human. We aren’t perfect and make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes haunt us for days, months, and even years. Let’s explore what drives us to get stuck in the past and ways we can move forward.

When it comes to mental health, one thing that isn’t mentioned often is hygiene. To most people, going days without brushing your teeth, showering, or combing your hair is disgusting. But for those who struggle with their mental health, it’s the norm. Living with mental illness is a challenge, and even on the best days. It’s a struggle to get out of bed most days let alone take a shower. You start telling yourself you’ll do it later, but keep putting it off. It feels like a fog is hanging over you and it becomes harder to find the motivation to care for your hygiene. You know you need to take care of yourself, but it’s easier said than done. Tasks that seem simple to most are a challenge to take on with a fog hanging over you, and crawling back into bed seems like the best option.