Can you believe Thanksgiving is in just two days? I absolutely cannot. After a whirlwind of a weekend traveling, I just got back to my house and was thinking a lot on my drive home about mental health and the next six weeks. Holidays are a time where schedules seem jam packed, the to do lists are endless and there are so many social events that leave a person drained at the end of the day. Furthermore, many companies are closing out their year with inventory counts, end of year sales and crunching budget numbers. As much as the season brings me joy, I also find so much of it to include a lot of additional stressors. When stressors amount life can get really overwhelming and the season can loose it’s luster. Here are a few ways I’m focusing on my mental health this season.
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Over this past year, I’ve written a lot about finding joy. The truth is a few years ago I went through a huge struggle with joy. My life felt flat during that time. Very little brought me joy. I’d later come to find that I was going through depression and I had to realign things in my life. I need more sleep and consistent sleep. I need to shed things that were weighing me down. I needed daily exercise and better support. It took time to transform all of these things, but when I formed a healthy foundation I was able to laugh and feel joy again. Looking back it wasn’t overnight that my life became joyless and it wasn’t an instant change to move it back on track. Both situations were a series of daily choices made over time. Now I protect my mindset above all else. If I am feeling like I’m in a funk, I make small choices that day to find joy in little things. Here are a few practical ways I choose to find joy when I complete everyday tasks.
Read MoreAs a work from home momma who also does distance learning with her kiddo, I have to tell you getting an afternoon to refill my cup is always appreciated! I love taking time to have a slower day on the weekends when my daughter visits other family. Lounging outdoors on a blanket with a picnic is seriously the best reward for a long week of hard work. Texas is just incredible during the Spring with perfect temperatures and wildflowers blooming all over the place. I couldn’t help but take advantage of the day by going to the park and reading a little Emerson for the afternoon.
Read MoreWe are already two weeks into 2021 and I don’t know about you, but I’ve found time outdoors is time well spent. Last weekend College Station and a large portion of Central and South East Texas experienced a snow storm. It was odd, but welcomed following a bleak week of political events earlier that week. Social media was soon flooded with pictures of snowmen, snow angels, families getting outdoors and kids having snowball fights. It was one of the most refreshing experiences and I have to tell you it was much needed for all of us.
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Let’s go ahead and just start with how this post can benefit everyone. I mean EVERYONE right now. Whether you want to admit it or not COVID-19 forever changed us and being stuck inside all the time is rough. Currently, I work from home and homeschool my child with virtual learning. By the end of the week my routines feel monotonous and I have an itch to go explore. For most of this past year I’ve taken day trips to surrounding areas like antique shopping or exploring near by honey and lavender farms. Every time I get a chance to leave I come back feeling renewed. I gain inspiration that carries me through the coming days and weeks. My soul literally feels more joy. Last weekend my daughter and I took a trip to Cedar Park on the north side of Austin. Our activities included being mostly outside and socially distant. At the end of the weekend she said this hike in St. Edwards Park was the best thing we did. Whether you face nature alone or take your loved ones, getting a little lost in nature is often times the refresher we all need to get us through the stressful times.
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