Hey everyone!
Today I want to talk a little bit about self care because honestly, the world can be a
bad place and lots of bad stuff is going on, and it can be really easy to get bogged down
in that and to forget to take care of yourself.
But if you don't take care of yourself, you end up getting burnt out and can't even
focus on all the crap happening in the world anyway.
So I just want to offer some advice and tips for self care that have helped me, but self
care is super individual.
Like one thing that may work wonders for me might not help you at all, and vice versa.
I think the important thing is just trying different methods of self care to see what
feels right and what actually helps you feel better.
If my advice doesn't sound appealing to you, you by no means have to take my advice.
Just do what works for you, but I wanted to share what works for me in case it could help anyone.
Also, because I feel the need to put a million disclaimers before I everything I say, none
of this is going to like cure depression or anxiety or anything, and lots of these self
care things you might not want to do or not be able to do.
That's okay.
This is just my stuff, and none of it is going to get rid of your depression or anxiety.
Please keep taking your medication if you've been prescribed medication by a doctor, I'm
just offering some small bits of advice that might help some people feel a littleee better.
But first, I want to tell you about this video's sponsor, BetterHelp.
When taking care of your mental health, an important step can be seeing a therapist -- unfortunately,
seeing a therapist irl can be super expensive.
That's where BetterHelp comes in.
For $65 a week, you can have access to a therapist over text, audio calls, and video calls -- which
is way cheaper than a typical therapy session that can be as much as $300.
These are fully licensed, professional therapists who know what they're doing, and BetterHelp
makes it really easy to find someone who specializes in your area, like someone who knows about
LGBT+ issues or whatever else it may be.
I know it can be really hard to admit that you need help, but therapy can be a super
positive experience for anyone, and it's important to talk through your issues with
someone who knows how to help.
Plus, if you have a weird and changing schedule, having a therapist who's always available
over text can be huge.
So if you want to give BetterHelp a try, you can use my link, betterhelp.com/riley, and
that will be linked down below in the description.
Anyways, back to the video.
So, the main thing I do for self care is honestly like finding fun things to distract me for a bit.
When it feels like everything is terrible I think it helps to get your mind off that
stuff for a bit and focus on some things that make you happy.
For me, that's mainly video games and TV shows.
Like I've found that in the last couple years my taste in TV as shifted away from
thrillers and dramas and stuff more towards comedies, just because I feel like the real
world is so intense already, I just wanna laugh and enjoy myself, you know.
If you haven't seen it already, I'd highly recommend Brooklyn 99.
That show is pretty dang good at putting me in a better mood.
For video games, I've also been leaning more towards like light/fun/colorful games
that are just like pushing you to be happy.
Splatoon 2 is really fun, Mario Kart 8 is great, Fortnite has been hyped up a lot and
it's actually pretty fun, and recently I've really gotten into Mario Tennis Aces.
These are all Nintendo Switch games just cause that's the console I have but I know there's
tons of other games on PC and Xbox and PS4 and stuff -- and Fortnite is cross-platform.
You could also play mobile games, I really like Pokemon Go, and I used to be super into
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp just cause it's a fun little game you can use to distract
yourself cause it only lets you do little bits every few hours so you can't get sucked
into it all day -- it kinda has a built-in limiter where you just have to wait for the
timer to refresh so that the characters like shuffle around and you can do new tasks.
As for Pokemon Go, it kinda ties into another one of my tips for self care, and that's
to go outside!
I mean, it depends on where you live.
Thankfully, here in Sydney, it's usually pretty sunny and nice out so I can go for
a walk and play Pokemon and feel the fresh air and get some sun.
I imagine if you're in a colder climate or a rainier one this probably isn't the
best advice.
But for me, I really like it, and I love that Pokemon Go forces you up and out of the house
if you want to do anything.
It encourages me to go for walks and to go to parks where there are lots of gyms and
Pokestops and stuff, and it's such a refreshing contrast to how most games entice you to sit
inside on the couch all day.
I just feel like my mood is largely dependant on the weather, which is annoying when it's
raining, but when it's sunny, going outside just feeling the warmth of the sun often just
makes me feel a little better.
I'm sure that's not the case for everyone, but if you're able to go outside for a quick
walk and the weather's nice and everything, give it a shot.
And while you're out there, another bit of advice I have for you is to find some sort
of sport to play.
Whenever I'm feeling down, my first instinct is to stay inside and not move all day, but
by the end of the day I usually feel really antsy and anxious and I regret not leaving
the house and I just feel like I have energy built up that I haven't used.
And just like regular working or running or whatever is boring and no one wants to do that.
So try to find some sort of recreational sports league that's around, maybe like soccer
or basketball that's easy to get the equipment for.
Then you have an incentive to get outside and be moving around cause you have a commitment
to show up to play with other people, and you'll actually be having fun while getting
exercise -- which is not the case if you just like go to the gym or go for a run or something like that.
Like if sports aren't your thing, don't worry about it, it's definitely not a requirement,
it's just something that I've found definitely helps me.
I feel wayyyy better after getting out and getting some exercise.
Now one of things I know a lot of people recommend for self care is like getting some candles
and having a bath and relaxing, but honestly that's just never been a thing that's
really worked for me.
Like I see the appeal, but then I just get bored, and candles are like… they're just candles.
No one tell my girlfriend I said that -- she loves candles.
But hey if that's what works for you, go for it!
But what I do for myself and what I'd recommend in that department is just push yourself enough
to go hop in the shower.
Even if you're not leaving the house, even if no one is gonna be around to smell you,
just go take a shower.
For one, shower's are so comfy.
Hot water, steam, nice-smelling soap, like showers are just so good and so pure.
And then, once you're out of the shower, you're going to feel better just knowing
you're clean and you've done something.
It's a small thing but for lots of people that can be a big thing.
And if you don't manage to get anything else done that day you can focus on the fact
that, yes, you got out of bed and had a shower.
I also know that I just personally feel better and like I can tackle more things in my day
if I'm clean and ready to go.
Even if I have nowhere to go, it still helps me to feel better and gets me focusing on
the stuff I actually want to focus on.
Kind of tied into the shower thing, shave your legs if that's something you enjoy.
For me, that's one part of helping me feel like I'm ready to take on the world.
And one thing that I've often neglected in the past is have a nice skin care routine
when you get out of the shower.
When my skin is a dry mess, I feel like a mess.
When I pay attention to my skin and remember to keep it hydrated, I feel a whole heck of
a lot better.
Write yourself a note if you need.
Ask Google or Siri to remind you to moisturize and drink water if you need.
I just think those small things really help.
And once you're all prepped and ready to go, and you've tried relaxing and watching
TV or something, I'd honestly suggest getting some housework done.
Do the dishes.
Do your laundry.
Clean something.
I know that seems counterintuitive when it comes to self care, but oh my god I feel so
much better knowing that all these small chores I had piling up are done.
Having a clean counter and sink just like lifts a weight off me.
If you can, choose a task and just stick to it.
Get it out of the way.
It might be unpleasant but you'll hopefully feel better and less anxious afterwards.
If all else fails and you really can't bring yourself to do anything and nothing is helping,
a nap might help.
Look, I know sometimes naps don't change anything.
You wake up in the exact same bad mood except now you're also sleepy and groggy.
But sometimes you can wake up feeling totally different.
Sometimes your body just needed a little rest.
I think we've been programmed to believe that we have to be productive all the time
24/7 -- thanks, capitalism -- but we really don't have to be.
It's okay to take a break and take a nap, and it could help you feel better in the long run.
And I know it's not always possible to organize stuff with other people, but if you have friends
or family and loved ones around, try to plan something with them.
Visit a cafe you've never been to before or figure out when your local museums have
a free entry day, or just get dinner at a new restaurant or have a Skype call with a
long distance friend.
Even if you're introverted or shy or not that social -- you still need people time.
Humans need to be around other humans.
We're just social creatures.
If you've been isolating yourself a lot lately it can be super necessary to reach
out to someone and just have a little bit of human contact.
If there's no one around you want to hang out with, have a really good meal or snack
that you enjoy -- without thinking about how "healthy" it is and without attaching
any kind of value judgement to it.
That can be like your favorite pasta dish, or your favorite curry, or a certain kind
of donut, or anything like that.
We often talk about food like it's just about nutrition and fueling our bodies and
stuff, but it's also important for us as an experience.
As something that brings us joy and brings us together and brings back memories.
Food can be nostalgic and meaningful and can definitely alter your mood.
If you're feeling crappy, a meal or snack that you really love can help you feel a little bit better.
And this one also may seem counterintuitive, but if you're sad because of all the crap
going on in the world, go to a protest or a rally or a march for a cause that you believe in.
I know that this is a lot of effort and it can be hard to get yourself to go do that,
but it can be really rewarding.
If you're hurting it can be good to be around others who are also hurting.
It can help show you that you're not alone and that others are feeling your emotions
too and it can help you feel less alone in this world.
Protests are important because they can pressure change against those in power but they're
also good because they can show unity amongst those who are oppressed.
And lastly, I'm not much of a music person, but if you are, I know that music can have
a powerful effect on people's moods.
And even for me, I often use more upbeat happy music to get myself into a better mood.
I know it can be tempting to listen to sad songs and kind of wallow in your sadness,
but the right song can really drag me out of a bad mood.
Recently I've just been listening to Panic! At The Disco's
newest album, Prey for the Wicked, on repeat, and it's got a lot of
bops that get me feeling a little better.
If you have songs that can do a similar thing for you, just take a few minutes to relax
and listen to them and sing along, and hopefully than can uplift you a bit.
Alright, well, that's everything I had for you today.
Feel free to leave your own suggestions and self care routines down in the comments, and
don't forget to check out the link in the description to get started finding a therapist
with BetterHelp.
Thanks so much for watching, and I'll see you next time.
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