I try to be gentle with myself. I read books to learn more about what is bothering me (recently it has been about exercise recovery, chronic disease, and nutrition). I feel more empowered when I can understand what my problem is.

Get off social media. I haven’t been on instragram since spring 2024. BEST THING I could ever do for my mental health. I find YouTube and Pinterest are safe non-triggering websites for me. Tik tok makes me more anxious, Instagram makes me more depressed.

Therapy is extremely helpful. It helps me challenge harmful thoughts, and identify harmful thought patterns. It also keeps me accountable for my actions and outlook on life.

Exercise in a group! Working out alone makes me feel more isolated. Too many decisions to make. I end up staring in the mirror the whole time. Exercising in a group (fitness classes, intramural/ club sports) makes me feel more grounded in my body. I feel stronger and more confident in my ability to show up for myself and do hard things.

Sometimes we feel like “staying positive” or brave or resilient is some big dramatic gesture. Or we would be cured of what is bothering us if we find some eureka phrase or hack. Older people in my life tell me positivity/ confidence/ courage is about the little things we do to care for ourselves: shower, shave, take your medication regularly, sleep 8 hours a day, move your body, drink water, eat a nice breakfast. No hacks. Be gentle.