self-care reminders
[It’s been a while since anyone posted about self-care. The last blog post about self-care had a lot of great tips, and I encourage re-visiting it.]
It took me a while to figure out that I don’t owe anyone an explanation for who I am and what I believe in. I wish I could have figured this out earlier. Identifying as a feminist and a Mormon has been a challenging aspect of my life – on par with being a first-generation Filipino immigrant navigating American assimilation. Despite the challenges, the isolation, and charges of “not being enough of” something, I’ve come to love all the frustrating complexities of my identity.
It’s a daily struggle, though. Aside from personal identity crises every now and then, I also worry about work, grad school, advocating social causes, and attempts at a social life.
I get stressed.
Being prone to anxiety and depression further exacerbates that stress. Though I recognize that coping techniques for feeling emotionally drained and/or generally stressed are different for everyone, here are a few that have kept me afloat so far:
– Laughing. Laughing so hard that tears/snot/pee sneak out. Humor is diverse as it is subjective, but we can all agree that it makes life better.
-Nature. Sitting in sand watching waves hit the shore, or staring at a vast expanse of mountains/hills; sometimes we just need to get away from people and too much noise (external and internal.)
-Physical care. This is probably the last thing I think about when I’m having a crappy day, which is why it’s so important. For me, grooming, taking a much needed nap, and making sure I’ve eaten something can make a world of difference.
Just remember: “Be wise during intensive seasons of your life. Cherish your agency, and don’t give it away casually. Don’t compare yourself to others — nearly always this will make you despondent. Don’t accept somebody else’s interpretation of how you should be spending your time. Make the best decision you can and then evaluate it to see how it works…If you’re doing the best you can, that’s good enough.” – Chieko N. Okazaki, Lighten Up
Any other self-care tips that you’d like to share?
Other helpful links:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/08/20/3-self-care-strategies-to-transform-your-life/
Young Mormon Feminists 
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