Remembering to Really Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Wellbeing

It’s been quite a while since I sat down and actually wrote a blog post. Over the last several months I have dedicated a lot of time to self-care both physical and mental. I am still in the midst of some lifestyle changes that, while they are imperative to my wellbeing, are taking some time getting used to. I think a lot of times we can forget that self-care is more than just taking a bubble bath and lighting some candles. Self-care can be as literal as going to the doctor. This became blatantly clear to me after I finally booked into an appointment with my new general practitioner. It had been at least two or three years since I had been in to see a doctor for a general checkup. I realized that there was a huge void in the things I was doing to try and take care of myself. In all honesty, I avoided the doctor because it meant becoming accountable for the choices I have been making when it came to what I was putting into my body and what I was putting my body through. I also recognize that genetics play a role in overall health but I wasn’t taking the steps to help my body overcome these genetic setbacks…high cholesterol being the main focus here. Since that initial appointment, I have been going full steam ahead to address the issues that came up to prevent them from becoming more serious complications in my future.

Another HUGE thing I have been undertaking is addressing my anxiety. I don’t think I ever recognized that I suffered from anxiety. There is such a stigma around it and I had a vision in my head of what I thought someone who suffered from anxiety looked like. The truth is, there is no one size fits all when it comes to living a life with anxiety. I seriously thought that I was just a worry wart and that it would pass eventually. The beginning of this journey has been uncomfortable at times but has really opened my eyes to address some things I have experienced in the past and given me some tools to work through them inwardly. It is a long road ahead to be able to let things go but I am certain that taking these first steps towards managing and accepting my anxiety for what it is has been one of the best decisions I have made for myself in a long time.

In the midst of all this self-care, I have also been planning the wedding of our dreams. It is still early but things are coming along and I couldn’t be happier to be planning it with Jake who has been so completely on board and involved with the whole process.

So, what about this blog? Writing has ALWAYS been something I have turned to in times of high stress to make me feel better. Whether it’s creating content for this space or writing in my personal journal, I feel instant relief once I have finished. It’s something that allows me to get all my feelings out without fear of judgment and it’s probably the only time I hold nothing back. On the other hand, it also allows me a creative outlet in the form of this blog space I have created where I am actually opening myself up to criticism and that part for me has been petrifying. This vulnerability has caused me to put so much pressure on myself to meet my incredibly high and unrealistic expectations for a blog that is still so new to the internet. This need for perfection has been the catalyst for many anxiety triggers and the killer of not only my motivation but my creativity as well. Regardless of all this pressure I still love creating content for this space and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The content may not be posted as regularly right now but it will be authentically me and that’s a promise I can get behind.

Making the decision to focus on my wellbeing is leading me one step at a time out of the woods and I can feel the trees beginning to thin with rays of sun shining down. I may not see these rays of light every day but I know they’ll be there eventually and more frequently the more time I dedicate. I want to encourage you to commit to your physical and mental health. Make an appointment with your GP if it’s been a while or consider therapy just to have an unbiased sounding board to confide in. I truly feel that these steps will bring so much clarity to your life or even just help you feel not as lost.