It recently dawned on me that I have learned so much regarding my mental health. I realized that I am able to navigate life much more effectively now because looking back, the way I lived life was kind of yikes and actually made no sense at times. There is so much more work to do, but I have to give myself a tiny bit of credit. With that being said, I figured I would share some of my lessons I’ve learned thus far!
Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form qualified to give life advice. Remember, my blog title includes the word “inexperienced” in it.
#5: Life Is Not That Serious
Like at all. Let’s be real here, I take life waaaaay too seriously. Shocker, right? Sometimes, I catch myself having to be like, “dude, you really need to chill the f out.” My perfectionist, people pleasing personality does not do well with this concept and really struggles with it. I have found it super helpful to sit back and just laugh at whatever I’m stressing out about because WHO CARES?! I probably would have gotten away with a lot less anxiety and depression if I would’ve figured this out way sooner. Also, I’d like to make a side note that I still indeed take life too seriously and that I never said that I actually followed these lessons.
#4: Journaling Works Wonders
Writing down your feelings? Gross, I know. I promise that it’s worth it though. Allowing your subconscious mind to dump whatever needs to get out will leave you feeling 10 times lighter. Seriously, try it. Grab a pen and some paper and write whatever comes to you without editing it or thinking about it or stoping until you are done. You will be amazed how good it feels to actually process your thoughts and declutter the files of your mind. Want to journal about a specific topic? There are so many journal prompts available online about any topic you can think of. Try it for a week or two and then come back and thank me:)
#3: Just Breathe
Breath is a powerful thing. You hear all the time to focus on the breath in yoga and meditation. Yanno what I’m talking about, “Just be present, focus on your breath.” All the things that I forget to do when anxiety is in the driver’s seat and depression is in the passenger seat with the aux cord while I’m stuck in the backseat being held hostage. BUT, if you actually breathe and remember that everything is going to be okay, it truly helps. You really have to commit though, you can’t just do it for 30 seconds and then proclaim that it doesn’t work. You have to fight through the hyperventilating and take deep breaths. It is very uncomfortable and not a good time, but neither is having a panic attack. Also, don’t forget to meditate! It doesn’t need to be perfect and it’s totally normal for your mind to wander while you do it. The mind is rude and doesn’t always do what you want it to sometimes but it will get better with practice.
#2: I Really Hate to Admit It, But Exercising Really Does Help
There. I said it. I just admitted what I have refused to believe is true for so long. It hurts my soul to say that all the times that someone suggested working out, they were right. Well, at least partially, I can’t give them 100% credit. This is not to discount how DIFFICULT it can be to make yourself be active especially when you are deep in a mental health rut. Trust me, I have been in the place where you can’t fathom making it out of the bed to even change your clothes. Where you can’t imagine how you’re going to leave the house or have human interaction with someone even though it’s been days. It has taken me up until recently to truly give exercising a try. Now, I really can tell when I haven’t worked out in a while which is definitely difficult to admit. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy though, it can be 10-15 minutes of yoga, walking around your neighborhood, forcing yourself to do a quick Peleton ride, or whatever you feel you can manage for the day. It’s really all about taking dedicated time to move your body. It will thank you. Trust me.
#1: Life Is So Much More Enjoyable When You Are Your Authentic Self
Firstly, I would like to admit that this lesson is where I am the biggest hypocrite. I am learning though and still figuring out who my authentic self actually is after hiding it for so long. I will say that I am getting closer and closer than I have been in a very long time. As always, I have to give reiki and journaling a shout out for helping me to release blockages and trauma that have made me believe it is unsafe to be my authentic self. I could go on and on about my theories as to why this is but that’s not the point of this post. The point is that life is so much better when you finally stop dimming your light. The world needs you the way you are, how you are. It needs you as your authentic self, that’s why you’re here. Stop caring what people think and refer back to lesson #1. Stop taking life so seriously and drop your fear of judgement, shame, and self doubt. JUST BE YOU. You’re a rockstar!
Thank you for tagging along on the adventures of an inexperienced yogi. I, by no means, have all the answers and am learning as I go. If you are looking for one of those picture perfect yogi gurus who does all those crazy inversions and eats really pretty meals, this might not be the blog for you. Not to shame them though, I would like to be like that one day. I am just not there now and that is perfectly okay!
The Inexperienced Yogi 