Welcome or welcome back to the blog, folks!
At the start of this year, I had a hard time feeling like a new page had turned for 2021. I’m no advocate for changing your habits at the start of a new month or year when you can just start tomorrow, but I still think a new date provides some novelty.
That feeling of starting new? It didn’t come to me naturally on January 1st.
or 2nd, or 3rd or 4th.
I try to do a “reset” whenever I feel like I’m spiraling into a depressive episode, feeling out of control, or simply lacking presence in my day to day life. I’ve definitely had a few resets at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 to cleanse myself of all the debris of last year.
Here are some habits and routines that I practice to get my mind back on track:
- Cleaning my space with bleach and pine sol- Research shows that affiliations from childhood with certain cleaning products, for example, can really make you feel at peace and feel like you actually cleaned well. It’s kind of rejuvenating and nostalgic of Saturday morning cleaning in African households. (IYKYK)
- Cleaning my body with bleach and pin…Just kidding- Self-spa days where I exfoliate until my skin is almost raw, plucking my eyebrows, removing undesired body hair, or using a pumice stone on my heels, literally makes me feel like I am washing my sins away lol.
- Pampering: Since I started losing my mind in quarantine last summer, sometimes I forget that I have a physical form since no one really sees me. I’m not just walking consciousness, haha. Taking my time to moisturize my skin after the shower or doing a lymphatic drainage massage as I apply my skincare, tweezing my eyebrows, painting my nails, even changing my hairstyle can make me feel renewed.
- Declutter: Throw away, recycle, unsubscribe, and unfollow anything and everything that is no longer serving me. Stop reading. How many water bottles do you have in your room? Get rid of them. Cancel that subscription you don’t use regularly. Unfollow content creators that do not inspire you or provide something of substance. Speaking of cutting shit off, I even cut two inches of my hair on a whim a couple of weeks ago and my hair has been flourishing since.
- Staying active: When I play basketball or tennis, I don’t realize I’m working out as hard as I am. It’s a nice way to do something good for my body and I skip out on imagining my “perfect body” afterward as I do at the gym.
- Staying in bed some days…ALL…DAY: This is tricky sometimes. Staying in my bed and cute PJs to only leave my bed for food and the bathroom is necessary for me once in a while, but I know that too much time to myself triggers my depression, so the key is to know exactly when to tune back into the world.
- Romantizing my life: Have you ever played Wii Sports Resort? A little perfect island where everything is beautiful and nothing can go wrong? Imagining my life to be tranquil and movie-esque helps me reclaim the driver seat in my life, as well as helps me cherish the little things. I recommend making playlists that help you get into that mood. I have one called “I’m the Main Character” to feel like I’m in a coming-of-age movie and a lo-fi one to help me wind down at night.
- Spirituality: I’ve loved astronomy since I was 8 years old. When I look up at the night sky and see the moon, stars, and planets, I become hyperaware of my presence in this universe. It’s a wonderfully terrifying and humbling experience to think of how little space we take up.
I want to briefly mention some things that I do not include in my routines anymore…
- Taking naps- I would sleep until the sun burns out if I could. Not an effective way to refresh myself.
- Going on long car drives by myself- I just listen to sad music and end up crying, honestly.
- Retail therapy- I still buy stuff don’t get me wrong, but I try to avoid the association of feeling off /sad with spending money. A bad relationship with money will not solve my problems.
- Also food- No more stress eating. A bad relationship with food cannot reset my mind or body.
I hope you are all having a good start to 2021! This is your invitation to recharge if you haven’t yet this year.
Carpe Diem Challenge: Be honest: what routines really allow you to reset, and what routines are harming you more than helping you?