Lately, I haven’t been going out as much as I used to. For a while, my depression turned me into a hermit even before the pandemic. But now I’m making a conscious decision to take charge of my mental health.
Of course, it is easier to say than to do. The only place I truly feel happy is in class with my classmates, talking about our futures and what type of registries we want. I’ve decided that I would move back to Alabama and press the restart button. I like the friends I’ve made in Georgia over the years, but I think there’s nothing left for me here. That being said, it’s important to take some time to reevaluate what you want out of life every now and again. What you want when you’re 25 is different from what you want when you’re 32.
I’ve learned a lot about people and myself in the past few years. Self-mastery is key to a successful life. I think a lot of people (myself included) have a hard time managing themselves. We tend to fall into behavioral loops and don’t realize it. Or we do realize it and try to shrug it off because we’re comfortable with it. It’s important to be uncomfortable in life, it gives off a signal that things need to change. Whether it be a job or relationship, there’s always room to improve your life. But in order to do that, you have to change your mindset.
Easier said than done.
I think we as humans have a hard time changing our mindset because we are comfortable with things being one way. But the problem with that is, if it isn’t working for you then it’s a clear sign something needs to change. And it’s usually something within. It’s hard because we don’t want to admit to ourselves when we are wrong. It feels better to deny and deflect to protect ourselves. This is where self-awareness comes in. In order to make the necessary changes, we need to be honest with ourselves. However, once you become more honest with what you’re doing wrong and how to be better, everything will fall into place.
As for me, I still have two semesters left until I’m done with school. Until then, I’m working on living a more peaceful life and dealing with my depression and anxiety.
