Taking care of our mental health doesn’t have to be complex; however, it does have to be intentional. For the past three months, I’ve focused on three self-care activities. 

1. Movement: When I move my body, I notice a significant difference in my mood, energy level, and ability to regulate my emotions. The earlier, the better; however, some movement is better than no movement. I’ve been walking during meetings/sessions, doing yoga and stretching, participating in E2M, and running around with my kids. 
2. Daily gratitude: Every night, I write down one thing I’m thankful for from the day in a planner. This simple but impactful part of my nightly routine has been extremely helpful, especially on tough days. It helped shift my perspective and made the moment a little less hard.
3. Read 10 minutes a day: I’ve wanted to read more since I’ve had the boys, but I’ve found it incredibly hard to meet my book goal for the year. So, I decided to try something new. Instead of setting a book number goal, I set a time per day goal. Last year, I read one or two books and this year, I’ve read 4 1/2 so far. I guess it’s working.  

I encourage you to get back to the basics. Go meet a friend, try a new activity, paint a picture, hit the gym, or hug a tree. Taking care of your mental and emotional health doesn’t have to be complex or lengthy, but it must be consistent. On the tough days, you’ll be thankful for the basic activity you set aside for yourself. Even if it was just 5 minutes a day.

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