Mental Health and Self Care

Mental health routine

So I know I haven't updated this book in a while, but I wanted to make a chapter in here about how I am taking care of myself during quarantine. It's been very relaxing for me and I haven't been as stressed since we have been quarantined. I am trying to be aware of what is going on the world and also take time to manage myself and take care of myself. So here is my routine that I have been following to help me get through this. Let me know if any of you try it or what you have been doing :)
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I shower around 7 and sometimes around 8. I like to stand in the water and just think. You all know how it is 😂 I take a shower after my mama cause she doesn't take a long time. She does what she needs to and gets out. I literally sit there and just think 😂 so, that's that.
Every night I like to end it by reading a chapter or two of a book, drinking my last glass of water for the day, and taking a few minutes to reflect how my day went, what I want to take from it, and to just be grateful. To go to sleep, I have found asmr to be quite helpful. And coming from someone who has bad anxiety, it works really well! Up above you will find one of my favorite videos to listen to. I like to go to sleep around 9 and latest at 10 I find that I get enough rest and I wake up feeling better.

So, in the morning I don't have a specific time I like to wakeup. I like to just wakeup whenever I am ready. But, because I like to start school at 10, i have trained myself to get up latest at 9. the earliest I get up is 6:30. But, 9 is a perfect time for me to wake up because it gives me an hour to relax and do a few things before I start school.

When I wake up, the first thing I like to do is pray. I like to pray for my family, friends, and teachers. As well as everyone who has been affected by the virus. I will admit I do go on my phone in the morning. 99.9% of the time, I go on YouTube. After about 10-20 minutes of laying down on my phone, I get up (put my glasses on) and wash my face, brush my teeth, and brush out my hair. If I know we will be going to the store, I will try to put a little more effort into my hair. Other than that, I pretty much just leave my hair alone. I go into the kitchen and make my self some breakfast (there are mornings I don't eat cause I am not hungry.) I usually choose to have a medium size meal cause I like to have my eggs, fruit, and toast. Some mornings I go for cereal and/ oatmeal. As of lately, I have really loved coffee with almond milk creamer (caramel flavor). I talk to my family and if I have time left before my classes, I will go outside and just enjoy the fresh air.

Around 9:45 I go to my room to tidy up a bit, make my bed, take my clothes down to be washed, and fix up my desk area. It usually takes about 15 minutes. By the time I am done, I start my work. My school district went to a block schedule. So, I have 2 classes on Monday and Wednesday. 4 classes on Tuesday and Thursday. And just check in on Friday. I only have 4 classes that I am taking cause they are requirements. The other two are orchestra and choir. I do what I need to for those classes and then I am done for the day.

I go down for lunch around 2 and I am a pescatarian (trying to go a little more vegan), so I like to experiment with different lunch ideas. I take my lunch outside and just relax out there and journal. Journaling is so relaxing and such a great thing to do right now. After I am done, I like to move around a do some form of a workout. Whether that's riding bikes, walking, running/jogging, tumbling, learning to dance, full body, yoga, whatever it is I like to do it just to stay active and just to be doing something productive.

Around 5-6 I like to start making dinner. Some days we get take out, so I don't have to make dinner. But, on nights we cook, I like to do a lot of it cause cooking is one of my favorite things to do and learn from. (I live with meat eaters and I don't mind making meat for them. While, I don't eat it, I don't force my family to follow the same diet that I am on. They are free to do what they want.) So, I make them whatever sort of thing they wanted for that day and I will get some of my meatless meat and cook it on the side so I can have something to enjoy with our food. I like to catch up on some movies and shows while I eat. That is just a pleasure thing that I do. And then I repeat for the next day with my routine.