Hello friends, guess who’s still alive. If I’m honest with both myself and you, I’ve been having a not so great time. On the surface things are great, my friends are wonderful, I’m experimenting with vulnerability a lot more and I’m staying conscious of my actions. However, the stress of moving away is really getting to me and this anxiety-ridden baby is struggling. Which is totally okay! While I don’t love the fact that I’ve given up on a lot more just to stay afloat, I do love the safe spaces I have created for myself lately. Anxiety is exhausting but these steps have truly been helping.

 

 

STEP ONE: Be Smart About Your Friends

 

Historically, I have always chosen the worst “best friends” imaginable. I’m not saying they’re bad people, but they have always been bad for me and rather detrimental to my growth.  I don’t know why it took me so long to realize who’s worth keeping around. Or why I’m so keen on toxic people neglectful of my worth that bring out versions of myself I hate… but that era has come to an end. My biggest advice when investing time in others is to learn their love language. Life becomes so much easier when you 1. Keep the right people around for the right reasons and 2. Know how to love them and be loved by them in ways that are natural and comfortable for you. The people I keep around now constantly introduce me to new aspects of myself I didn’t know existed. They promote the support and positivity my neurotic ass needs to succeed and I am forever grateful.

 

 

STEP TWO: Use Instagram As A Tool

 

Over the past month, I have gone to great efforts following as many plus size bloggers on Instagram as possible. At first, it was just intended as motivation to continue creating content. Now it has enforced a level of body positivity and self-worth I didn’t know I needed. I have literally never felt so seen and heard in my entire life and all I had to do was embrace a community on an app I waste too much time on anyway. So, instead of liking the fake candid photos of people I haven’t seen in over five years, I get to enjoy the strength, beauty, and power that radiates from a community I admire. I follow so many people who are constantly creating and exploring themselves. It has been so uplifting to fill my subconscious with people I admire and can learn from.

 

Equally uplifting has been the mute button. The mute button has become a dear friend of mine. No longer do I have to look like an asshole for my Sagittarius ass cutting people out of my life and I can forget they ever existed without the drama of doing so. The old me would unfollow them and welcome the confrontation that follows, but I am learning to let things go and focus on my growth. Don’t surround yourself with people who bring you down my dudes!!! Let the mute button be your friend and avoid looking petty.

 

 

STEP THREE: Stay Hydrated

 

I know that this sounds condescending because like wow, water is not going to cure your depression but hear me out! Drinking enough water has its benefits far beyond being a requirement for your survival. Drinking enough water supports your metabolism and makes getting fuller easier. I know that personally, I tend to lean towards binge eating when I’m dehydrated and feeling both anxious and lethargic. By staying hydrated I eliminate that cycle and it really helps my skin out. Both by not eating like shit and staying hydrated. But it’s incredibly difficult to stay positive if I feel ugly and acne makes me feel that way. Staying hydrated is also important because it helps you avoid migraines and backaches. I know it can be tedious, but staying hydrated helps in avoiding all the ailments and setbacks that seem like nothing but can set you over the edge when you’re at your lowest.

 

STEP FOUR: Surround Yourself With Positive Content

 

Similarly, to the notes on Instagram, it’s important to surround yourself with content you can learn and grow from. Whether it be a YouTube channel, podcast, or book, find something or someone you can learn from. Lately, I have been infatuated with Carrie Rad, an influencer who’s focusing her summer on self-care and self-betterment tips on her YouTube channel. With monthly themes like “self-care summer” and “love your life” Rad is instilling useful ways to be productive, successful, and happy with yourself.  I usually watch her videos while I’m getting ready in the morning or unwinding at night and she comes as a relief. Creating a healthy mental space for yourself is so much easier when you’re constantly listening to advice on how to do so.

 

If self-help content isn’t your jam I recommend joining healing circles. Find people who have similar gripes and connect on how you’re healing from it. There’s nothing quite like entering a safe space for healing and celebrating the vulnerability and creative drive of others as they embark on journeys similar to your own. It’s important to remember that whatever you’re going through is not unique to you, you’re not alone.

 

 

STEP FIVE: Manifest Your Dreams

 

I’m sure it seems silly, but it doesn’t hurt. The law of attraction seems trivial to so many people, but putting positive vibes out into the universe literally hurts no one. It’s important to work hard towards what you want in life but assuring yourself makes the journey so much easier. Write down your goals and connect to why you have them. It’ll help you connect to the feeling that achieving your goals will give you. Life is so much easier when you fake it until you make it. Act confident and no one will question you. I can’t think of another overdone saying to throw in there, but they’re true. If you act like you deserve the best, the people around you will give you their best.

 

 

 

STEP SIX: Do One Thing Daily That Makes You A Better Person

 

I’m not saying you have to volunteer at a soup kitchen every night, but do something you are better for. Gain a new perspective by reading a book. Practice a new language or instrument.  Even go to the gym or for a walk. By spending time every day to help you grow for the better, you’ll feel more positive. I know that I feel a lot of guilt for all of the time wasted not pursuing my dreams. But life isn’t all about work and if you spend your free time doing something to better yourself, you’ll learn to better establish a work/life balance. Finding ways to de-stress isn’t always easy but you can at least make them meaningful.

 

I know how tough life can be, how exhausting mental illnesses are. Most of the time I just want to lay down and take an anxiety nap from how overwhelming life gets. But I’m getting a lot better at processing my emotions and working around them. Find what works for you to create the safe spaces you need to succeed. When you’re putting this much positive work into yourself, it’s really difficult to stay in the sunken place.

 

I’d love to hear what steps work for you in the comment section below!