You may already be aware that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I also know you may be rolling your eyes and saying something to the extent of “every week seems like it’s dedicated to something these days.” Full disclosure; I’ve definitely done that myself.
That said, there is certainly an opportunity to do some reflection or a little soul-searching. No one is perfect in their mental health, largely because no one is perfect in their self-care. We live in a hustle culture, and we’re sent messages all the time that any less than working yourself to exhaustion isn’t enough. While following your passions and providing for yourself are obviously important, remember, if you don’t take proper care of yourself, you won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor anyway!
While I try to prioritize self-care, I know I fell out of reading for my own enjoyment while I was in school. I was definitely one of the nerds who read every textbook cover to cover and believe me, I am not a fast reader. I have multiple books waiting for me but have yet to pick them back up. This month, I’m going to work on setting aside time to do some reading every day.
Self-care often does not have to be any more complicated than that! Take an opportunity to take a breath, think about something that makes you happy, even if it’s something small, and try to incorporate it into your everyday life. You might be surprised how much good it can do!