Self-Development-- How I Improve Myself

Living in this day and time, life can be overwhelming with a never ending list of tasks that you need to complete, keeping up with the news, maintaining a somewhat healthy routine, limiting your screen time, and simply trying not to fall apart at the seams. It's hard to manage your time, especially when it comes to improving yourself.

This past year my life has taken a turn--- a turn that has led me down a path of learning, growing, and improving who I am. This path was rough. I hit so many bumps and potholes along the way that it felt like I would never make it to the end. I did some reflection, thinking about ways that I can improve myself and my overall health, and well, here is what I learned:

Romanticizing The Things You Do For Yourself Actually Works

It felt silly at first to read a book with my morning coffee, do homework in a coffee shop, take the time to walk and enjoy nature, and quite literally, romanticize my life. Let me make this clear: I romanticized my passions, hobbies, and little qualities of life that brought me joy, not my stress, anxieties and burnouts.

You're probably wondering, my life is boring though, how can I romanticize it? Trust me, I was in the same until it was the simple pleasures in my life that I realized I was not romanticizing. I started treating myself to more 'solo' dates and travels, reading outside or crafting while I sipped on a beverage. It was more than just doing the things I love, it was recognizing that these things are what fueled me.

Reading The River Has Roots Amal El-Mohtar by the pool on a sunny day!

It is not all rainbow and sunshine though. I did run into moments where life felt dull again and it was hard to get out of the stressful slumps that I would occasionally fall into. Dedicating small portions of my day to my hobbies, interests, and overall to activities that reduced my stress helped me tremendously. It allowed me to get through all of my stress or enjoy my breaks throughout my day.

Limiting My Screen Time

It is hard to not be on social media.... really hard. Social media is the toxic relationship in my life that I always try to justify it's behavior. However, I have set my boundaries with it.

Simply limiting the amount of time that I spend scrolling my life away has helped my overall quality of life. When I find myself non-stop scrolling, I pick up a book, journal, craft, or find something productive and rewarding to do. Will there be times where all I want to do is rot in my bed? Oh, absolutely. Do I allow myself to do that? Occasionally.

Some recent craft supplies that I picked up to work on to spend more time with myself.

While I am not 100% screen free, taking the time away from the screen reduces my anxiety and my stress around every day topics. It has changed the outcome of my life and limited myself to stop comparing myself to others. But seriously, if I see another video saying "I'm so hungry I could *insert name of toxic ex here* right now," I am going to lose it.

I do enjoy my Bookstagram page and do find myself scrolling on there a lot more than my personal Instagram page. While it does increase my screen time, I still am participating the hobbies that I love and being a part of an uplifting community.

Being Selfish.

It feels selfish to write 'Be Selfish' when in reality, being selfish has significantly impacted me. I used to allot a lot of my time to others, work, and school that there was never any time for me. Quickly, (once my therapist told me to 'take some time for myself') I changed how my time was spent and I have become more selfish with how I want to spend it. Note: You still need to give your time to friends, family and loved ones.

Seeking Help Is Not a Sign of Weakness, It is a Sign of Bravery.

When life felt like I was in a never ending cycling of impending doom, I knew my first step was to seek the proper help that I needed for myself. I sought therapy for the first time-- not only did I beat myself up over attending therapy but I actually broke the stigmatism around it that I had implemented into my head.

It took some time for me to accept that therapy is okay. I learned so much about myself in the process that I have a deeper connection to myself beyond the surface level. I understand how to process my thoughts, feel my feelings, and help myself is more ways than I never thought I would be able to.

A pretty Hibiscus flower that I found one day out adventuring!=

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I decided to not only do my own personal reflection but maybe to help anyone who feels as if they were in the same spaces that I was in for awhile. It is difficult to find ways to improve yourself, especially if you're stuck in a constant cycle that may feel as if it is never ending.

Little practices of self-care help with the improving yourself-- mentally and physically. It may feel defeating or as if you're not getting anywhere but at the end of the day, you are growing and becoming a wonderful human being.