How are you? well…no no…how are you? No, you’re not listening to me. How are you really?
As humans naturally we like to make sure others around us are okay because we build better relationships with people when we show we care and if you truly care about someone if they weren’t okay, you would do anything in your might to see that everything was fine right? So then…when was the last time you did that for yourself?
We including me get so caught up in what’s around us, who’s around us. Work, education, the news, our loved ones etc. It can be very overwhelming but one thing I have learned over time is to take a step back, pause and take a deep breath. Last Thursday 17 November, 2022 I felt blue. It was my day off and I just felt “off”, even though I had just come back from holiday 2 days earlier. So what did I do? I did nothing all day.
I verbally told myself ”I don’t feel good, I’m not sure why but I just need a break.” I put my phone on airplane mode, closed my curtains, stayed in bed all day and slept. I listened to my body, and understood my emotions. I see no value in pushing myself so much especially if I’m not okay. I cannot fully be present in other people’s lives unless I’m present in my own.
Checking in with yourself means carving out time each day to ask yourself how you’re doing. In this space, you can sort out your emotions, assess your physical and emotional needs, and make an intentional plan on how to address these needs moving forward.
Alo moves
So I ask again, how are you really doing? and be honest.
There are different ways to check in with yourself
Journaling
Talking to yourself
Praying/ Mediating
Voice recording yourself
Video recording with yourself
Venting to someone you know will listen/ cares about you
It can be difficult for others to express themselves and many things play a large factor in this. Family, past and current relationships or friendships but for own sake you need to make sure you are okay and if you feel it’s too hard, there’s always an option of a therapist which is very beneficial.
Later that evening I felt much better because I acknowledged that I wasn’t feeling great and sometimes there isn’t a reason, there doesn’t have to be a reason for feeling low, because what happens? If you don’t listen to your body? It’ll force you to listen.
There doesn’t have to be a reason for needing a break, you have to remember that your mental wellness matters more than any job, relationship, assignment you have because if you don’t have good mental health nothing else matters.
Be honest and ask yourself how you really are and remember to breath. Over time everything will be okay. I promise.