My September Mental Wellness Routine
Our mental health is impacted by our mental wellness routines. Whenever we overload our routines or fill them with things that don’t serve our current circumstances, we do more harm than good. Working in the wellness space I’ve realized that many people and brands push a more is more approach. I’ve been writing these wellness routine recap since January and over these few months have realized that the routines that serve me best are the most simple ones.
If you find this blog post, my hope is that you’ll use this blog post as the push you needed to analyze your own, instead of as a blueprint. This routine is what I’m using to help me cope with my unique set of experiences — a lot of stress at work, still settling into a new home, a partner’s busy travel schedule that’s about to pick up speed — I’m convinced you’ll have your own unique set of experiences that your toolkit is best equipped to handle.
THERAPY
Honestly, therapy tops my list every month because it’s my one constant that I know I can’t rotate out. I’m a better person when I sit down for 45-minutes every Monday and ask someone to help me carry my load, explain my load, and figure out how to cope with my load. I know therapy isn’t for everyone, and others find this same level of understanding in other spaces, but if you’re looking for a therapist here are some resources.
GROUP MEETINGS
I started attending Al-Anon in October 2019 and fell off in March when the pandemic hit. I never tried to get back onto zoom meetings because I was only just getting used to the in person setting. I did read a ton of the literature and I’ve recently picked up the big red book. I’m deciding to work my way back into meetings this month in an effort to help myself stay emotionally sober, which has been a bit harder as of late.
DAYS OFF
Most months I don’t have to add this into my wellness routine because I am usually pretty good with taking time off, but right now I’m in the middle of a very busy season. I have so many exciting things I’m working on, which I’m excited to share, but all those things can go from making me happy to triggering me to deprive myself of essential things (food, sleep, rest) in a heartbeat. I’m going to take time to schedule in at least one full day off a week through September.
DATE NIGHTS
My partner is going into a busy season of his own and it’ll include a ton of travel. It’s been a hard adjustment with us moving back east and us trying to get our bearings, so I’m really prioritizing special date nights outside of the house as much as possible as a way to support my mental health and our relationship healthy.
DRIVING LESSONS
There is a definite theme to this month’s mental wellness routine and its focus is to help me feel like I’m moving the needle forward and getting out of the house as a way to help with my depression. In CT, you have to wait 90 days in between getting your permit and taking your driving test. I’ve been holding off on driving lessons (which are also required) until I was closer to the window when I can take the test — September is my month! I’m really excited about this commitment to myself in particular because it encourages me to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Being able to drive, even when my boyfriend isn’t here, is something I’m really looking forward to.
The above make up my core focus, but in the midst of that I’m going to try to keep on schedule with drinking water, taking my vitamins, meal prepping veggies, and overall just trying to be kind to myself.
What’s on your wellness routine this month?