College is a remarkable time in one’s life, but it’s hard to see someone you love off to school, especially during a global pandemic. My younger brother is starting his first year of college in just a few days, and I’m so much more worried about him than I would be under normal circumstances. He and I are remarkably close …
Find Someone to Lean On
It’s been about five months since the world turned upside down. Five months of quarantine, social distancing, and isolation. Five months of masks, hand sanitizer, and Zoom calls. Five months of learning how to adapt to survive in an entirely new environment. For folks living with mental illness, survival means something different right now. It means learning how to let …
The Number on the Scale Does Not Define You
About a month and a half ago, I got rid of my scale, and it was the best thing I’ve done for my mental and physical health in a long time. At the end of June, I moved into a new apartment, and I decided not to bring my scale with me. Before then, I would weigh myself at least …
Ride Out the Storm
With all of the tropical storms making their way across the country the past few weeks, it feels like we can’t catch a break with bad weather. In Cincinnati, it’ll be 100 degrees and sunny one day and 65 and storming the next. My mental health can be like these weather fronts. Some days, I feel great. The sun is …
Leave Your Burdens Behind
So we all know we’re living in an unprecedented time. I feel like a broken record every time I say it, but it’s true. The world has never been so universally impacted by anything before COVID, and we’re all learning how to cope with this new way of life. From mask mandates to planning for school and the future, nothing …
Burn Out is Real, But You Can Always Reignite the Flame
Is anyone else feeling exhausted or overwhelmed lately? I don’t mean from day-to-day responsibilities like work or school, but rather our civic and social responsibilities. 2020 is about halfway over, and so far, it’s smacked us with so many new daily concerns. How do we live our lives while also being civilly and socially conscious? It’s exhausting to think about. …
Embrace the Beauty of Life
Lately, I’ve had a hard time thinking about or doing anything that brings me pure joy and happiness. My mind has been preoccupied with the fear of COVID-19, rising tensions in the socio-political landscape, and how the world will continue to be impacted by these issues. I have to make a conscious effort to recognize the beauty in life right …
Now is the Time for Selflessness
This week, I was having a hard time figuring out what to write about. Every time I thought about discussing self-care, it felt so self-indulgent in a time of global crisis. Who am I to deserve time to take care of myself when people are dying, either from police brutality or a global pandemic? Then it hit me. Right now, …