la-petitefille:

how to treat yourself like a princess ✨

– begin your days with tea and lemon (especially the mornings in which you feel the most down) in a designated tea cup

– turn your space into your castle: floral prints on the walls, antique brushes and bottles, fresh flowers on the bedside table

– choose a beautiful, favourite symphony to be your personal princess theme song

– remember how deserving you are, even of the most simple things (i deserve to feel the sun on my skin, i deserve to take an extra-long shower today, i deserve to feel loved by myself)

– every now and then, remember this simple mantra: “life is short. buy the dress.”

jewsquats:

repeat after me: i can and i will. i may not get there right away. i may fail multiple or even hundreds of times. but i am going to pick myself back up and eventually get to the point i want to be at in my life.

kittenwitchandthebadvibes:

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, so let’s talk about how we can end the stigma surrounding mental health 🌱

🗨 TALK🗨

Start a dialogue about your own experiences
💖 Mental Health is still stigmatized and that can make it difficult to talk about openly, but the more we talk, the more we help to normalize the discussion. But it’s not just about helping the world see Mental Health differently, but about your perception too; talking about your problems can help you work through them, and see them in a more realistic light, and it helps the people around you understand your needs.

Challenge incorrect information
💖 If you see someone spreading incorrect information about mental health, be brave and step in. Remind people that mental illnesses are disorders of the brain, and are usually due to chemical imbalances, in the same way that disorders of other organs might be due to a vitamin deficiency, or the body not being able to produce the right amount of hormones.

Ask others about their experiences
💖 Encourage others to talk about their own mental health issues, if they feel comfortable doing so.

💭 LISTEN💭

Provide a judgement-free environment
💖 Sometimes people just need to vent, rather than have a discussion, and as well-meaning as you might be you need to respect that. Ask if they’d like to discuss their issues or if they’d just like to vent and be given a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. Mental Illness can make us hyper sensitive to perceived criticism, and feel unable to open up. Create a judgement-free environment by giving them your full attention, and by allowing people to talk at their own pace, without interruption.

Ask what they need, don’t assume
💖 What we need and what someone else needs might be two different things, so ask and listen to what someone says when they talk about their needs. It might be tempting to think “they’re just being lazy” or “if I give them a push they’ll get there eventually”, but respecting their wishes is not just about whether or not they know best. Ask them if they need their boundaries pushed, or if today is a good day to try. There will be days where they are more open to pushing their boundaries. If you force them too early you may deter them from trying again, and it may hurt their trust in you.

💬 CHECK💬

Check in
💖 Now’s a good time to check up on the people around you. Don’t just say hello, ask how they are feeling; specifically how they feel mental-health wise. It becomes a habit to say “I’m fine”, even when you’re not, and mental illness makes it harder to be forthcoming with how we feel. Give them the option to say “well, now that you mention it…” instead of the usual small talk.

Check up
💖 Have you been ignoring your own mental health needs? Procrastinating on getting proper professional help? Now’s a good time to make an appointment with your GP for a check up!

Check yourself
💖 Even the most open-minded of us need to keep our own privilege and bias in-check. If you hear someone talk about an issue or symptom they face that you think might be exaggerated, made-up, or their own fault, consider that your own bias, privilege, or lack of understanding may be clouding your judgement. Everyone’s experiences are different, so try to remember not to compare. Have a judgement-free discussion, give advice or offer alternatives, but in the end: trust THEIR judgement of THEIR situation.

moonchild self-care tips 🌙

la-petitefille:

– keeping an obsidian sphere near your bed for extra protection

– charging your crystals under each full moon

– wearing face masks that make your skin glow (so that you can match our lovely sky Mother)

– drinking moon water to charge when you’re feeling drained

– painting your nails a glittery black, glancing at it during the day so you can always feel close to the night sky

deskdays:

I was really struggling this week. Working way too hard, skipping breaks and meals, not staying hydrated, not showering, not taking my meds. it was bad. even at the busiest times, self-care is so so important. if I needed help, then I’m probably not the only one. all of these lil ideas are small and relatively easy and I highly doing something nice for yourself, even if it’s not on the list. hope you all have a wonderful day/week/year.

(my personal favourites in bold)

drink some cold water

wash your hands and face with cool water

make some tea

get a blanket and snuggle it around you

snuggle an animal/stuffed animal

buy your favorite candy from the gas station

close your eyes and listen to your fav song on repeat for 10 mins

put on some throwback jams (high school musical, mamma mia, 90s, u do u) and dance around ur room in ur undies

make a calming playlist

call a friend/relative just to say hi and hear someone else’s voice

rewatch cute/funny/happy clips from ur fav tv show/band/movie on youtube

put on a skirt and twirl (yes boys/agenders/trans u can do this too)

scribble really hard with black pen on a blank page and scream

look at the sky/moon/sunset/sunrise/stars

write

watch kitten/puppy/small animal live streams on youtube

go outside, even if its just by ur front door, and take some deep breaths

eat something – fruit, veggies are best

change ur contacts/clean ur glasses if you wear those

change your underwear

if u can’t get urself to shower, wash off w a damp washcloth/baby wipe

put on a cute/comfy outfit that makes you feel good about urself

dont put eye makeup on so you can rub your eyes & they wont feel heavy

stretch, do some yoga or meditate

get a breathing/meditation app and use it (headspace is gr8)

take a nap

go to bed before 11 pm

brush your teeth

turn off bright harsh lights and use smaller, warmer lamps

unplug. give your eyes/brain a break from screens for a half hour

get one of those pet/family apps/games and care for someone else for a change

find cool people on tumblr and send them anonymous compliments (that you actually think are true – spread love)

find a quote, write it/print it nicely and stick it on ur wall

watch a new movie

boil some cinnamon sticks/vanilla bean for 5 mins so ur house smells pretty. if in ur room, use essential oil drops or candles

make your bed

vacuum

wipe down ur desk w some disinfectant

clean something – a backpack, small area, fluff ur pillow, put away one shirt

do your makeup all pretty and nice just because/dress up just because

research into your dream job/vacation/city/whatever

open up pages/canva/photshop/etc and make something just for fun

build a fort and crawl under it

find an easy diy and do it/ be proud of ur creative genius

make a list of things that make you happy. stick it somewhere you’ll see it all the time

print a picture of someone/thing that’s pissing u off and throw things at it (tape it to a dart board if u have one)

reread a book that makes you happy

clip your nails, clean the dirt from under them

send some good old fashioned snail mail to someone u like just for fun

take some selfies if you’re feelin it (see #40)

fuzzy socks. enough said.

make yourself a fancy meal/cocktail/coffee/tea latte/drink/whatevs

open ur window or put on a fan/air purifier. get some air circulating

draw, even if u think u suck.

reach out to kids help phone (canada) or a suicide hotline if you need to talk to someone about more serious matters. you deserve help and care and support. (message me if you need resources)

donate to a local animal shelter (if u have the means obviously)

go for a walk/run/bike ride

put on a face mask

take a bubble path

shave ur legs and moisturize

moisturize

bake some cookies

go on spotify/youtube and find some new music you love

make a really fun upbeat playlist for next time u get the aux cord

scroll through some wholesome or funny meme accounts. whatever you’re in the mood for.

take some cool pictures of whatever you want

change up your room in any small ( or big) way that you can

teach urself a new skill on youtube (simple like a hair style, or complicated like an instrument, whatever u want)

sign up to volunteer at a library/homeless shelter/soup kitchen/retirement home/daycare center/etc. help those who need it. be giving.

put on sad music and cry. let ur mascara run. be dramatic. let it out.

put rock music on and stomp and scream throw (soft) things. let it out.

teach urself the words to a fast rap song thats cool right now so you can impress ur friends/classmates/family

print off some kid colouring pages and dont stay inside the lines

brush your hair, take it out of a ponytail if its been like that for a while, or put it up if its down and in ur way

diy a hair mask (coconut oil) and do that

exfoliate ur whole body and feel like a whole new person

clear out ur phone/laptop. delete old messages, numbers of people u dont like/hang out with, get rid of photos of shitty friends, apps u dont use, etc

find cards against humanity online (or if u have it use the cards) and play with urself – make funny matches just because

empty a drawer (or multiple) and fold ur stuff neatly

do something that will make u sweat (gym, dance, clean) then take a nice shower

take a second to listen to ur body. unclench muscles that are clenched, fix ur poster, massage/stretch tight areas

move to a different area of the house for a little while. clear ur head.

go out, anywhere. window shop, go to a coffee shop/library and work. people watch if ur broke.

update your planner

make Pinterest board/real life vision of things that make you happy for when in this situation again

find a youtuber you like and watch their videos

lie on the floor, listen to music and do nothing for a while

give yourself a pep talk in the mirror and then stand like superman for a few mins. sounds silly but it works. its called powerposing. look it up.

repeating this bc important: hydrate!!!

start a new tv show

order something online so u have something to look forward to

go sit with a family member and keep them company. u dont have to talk to them.

the app ‘trump dump’ will make u feel better about the current us political situation

read happy news: find stories of students doing something cool, women kicking ass, men being amazing, whatever. bonus points if this inspires u

sort your garbage from recycling and help the environment

smile at people you see just because. smiling is good and nice.

look at old pictures of u and ur fav people

go through old yearbooks and take a second to appreciate how far you’ve come

go to a park and watch kids play. remember what it’s like to be young. realize you are still young. go on the swings and go as high as u can

play in a sandbox just because u still can

xo soph

kirin-riki:

autumnhobbit:

blackoutcatharsis:

lxzyfangirl:

seductrce:

Concept: I finish school. The job I work isn’t my dream job but I enjoy doing it greatly still. It pays enough to cover everything I might need. My bills are never overdue. Money is not a thought in my head. I have a place to live. So do my dogs. It is nice and warm, I have some plants, my bookshelves are full, my sheets are always clean. There is time to read at the end of a day. I read a lot. Thinking is a good thing. I meet up with friends regularly, old and new. They love me. We make memories. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I travel a few times a year, always different places. The places I see steal my breath away. The people I meet teach me of life. They are good. There is no war. The sea calls to me and pay visit. I am independent. I am content.

we are such a sad generation. the dream is a modest and decent life.

And still, it feels unattainable.

You know? I actually prefer to think of it as regaining sanity after all the delusions of grandeur older generations had. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a normal, decent life with just enough, and tbh it’s their fault we think there IS something wrong with it.

I wasn’t going to add this but fuck it, it might help someone.

Backstory: I remember seeing this list and dreaming of all these things when it first came on my dash a long time back. It looked daunting and unnachievable. I was a single, depressed student with severe social anxiety, barely making enough money to pay for rent on a shared apartment and feed my cat. I had no car and no prospects for a future. I was up to my eyeballs in debt. I contemplated suicide more than once.

Flash forward to today:

This post came back on my dash and as I was reading it I realized I’m checking off almost 90% of this list and I wanted to cry. I am properly medicated, sitting in a nice warm bath in a house I rent with my boyfriend. He and my 6 month old whippet, the dog of my dreams, are curled up playing video games together. My cats are asleep on the bed in my sewing room where a family of succulent plants have recently taken up residence beside my book shelves. I have just started as manager of the tiny department in my old university where I worked part time during the lowest point in my life. It’s not my chosen field and it doesn’t pay an exceptionally huge salary or anything, but it’s relaxed, I don’t stress about it at home and the hours allow me the freedom to craft and draw and do the things I love. I have rose bushes to trim and a vehicle that I worked hard to pay for outright. My debts are now only shoulder level and falling slowly with each paycheck. I sleep easy in a bed I now share with the person I love most in this world. I look forward to board game nights on weekends with new friends I’ve made through my partner along with old friends who stood by me through life’s worst. I look forward to the future. And yes, I read long and often.

Span of time between my lowest and highest points? One year six months.

That’s it.

It is achievable. You can do this. Life can and does change for the better right before your eyes even when it seems like it’s forgotten you. You just have to keep them open.

lyjerria:

no but in all seriousness, don’t force relationships and don’t force friendships. if these things aren’t flowing into your life naturally, you can do without them until they do.

cowritten:

Always say yes to seeing friends

Eat breakfast every day

Recognize that positive change rarely happens overnight

Accept the fuck-ups, but try not to let them happen again

There is a song to remedy every situation on the planet

Appreciate the people in your life

Look for the good in everything

Try new things and try them often

Treat yourself as well as you treat others