How did you take care of yourself today?

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    With Christmas coming up, we all know things get messy-- and I'm not talking about in the kitchen. 

    Attempting to align Christmas with other families is difficult. Some come to the conclusion they just can't be there. I have personally never been that person, as my schedule has worked out each year. When it is my turn not to be there, I'll send my well wishes and hope my absence doesn't affect the cheerful time of the gathering. So far, life has kept me near my family, which has been one of my greatest blessings. However, as my friend has said, "Life changes, minds change, and circumstances change." I don't know what is to come, but I'm happy I've gotten 22 years already to have family nearby, and I've loved it. For the ones that don't have this, my heart goes out to you. My hope is that wherever you are, you take care of yourself during this season. 

Some tips and tricks I thought I'd share if I were in your situation. 

    Don't skip your meds: this helps with the thing in your head that is known to hurt you. 

    Spend some time with yourself, but not in a sad, depressing way. This is you helping yourself. 

    Go for a drive around rich neighborhoods and look at all the Christmas lights. They are so glorious. 

    Self-care will help you stay feeling your best even though it may hurt being alone. 

    CALL HOME. You may not be able to be there, but talking to the ones you love will make you feel closer. 

    Spend time with the ones that are near you if you can. Secluding yourself will only make this worse. 

    Give yourself some credit for staying where you are and continuing your financial, work, or school commitments. 


    I have also found journaling to help with my sense of loneliness. Think of the pages or prompts as your company where you have no limit, no judgment, and no rules. The words are yours, and they matter. Don't keep them bottled up for too long, or it may lead to a bigger mess. In fact, one of my friends and I had a gift exchange, and one of my gifts was a heavy-duty journal that had fun, inspirational sayings and one prompt throughout the whole book. 

"What did you do today to take care of yourself?"

    On the opening page, it tells you that they've inserted prompts to get you started or to ignore. That one little prompt can range as much as you need it to. Even ranting is a form of self-care, in my opinion. 


So, how did you take care of yourself today? 


Just a thought to ponder. 

            With love, 

                Jenna 

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