Welcome back!! 🤗 - preparing for the new year

I don't know about you all, but today was my first day back from Christmas break. I hope your break was a lovely period of recharging and relaxation.

Around this time of the year is usually my least favorite because I never feel like I have enough time to relax before I have to go back to school!! I get so anxious, and I've been anxious especially this year because of how difficult of a time it is. I'm a senior now, we're in the middle of a pandemic, a new year is starting, it's just a lot for me to deal with. So if you're anything like me, you need a smooth transition into the new year and back into the school year.

As we make this transition into the new year, I wanna ask you all to reflect on your goals for this year. What do you want for yourself moving forward in the new year? What do you want to accomplish this year that maybe you didn't get a chance to in 2020? Mentally, physically, educationally, financially?

An exercise that helps me with my goals is writing them down and writing how I'm going to achieve each of them. This helps me become aware of my goals and establish the habits I need to implement in order to accomplish them. For example, clearer skin—drink at least a bottle of water everyday. It's that simple!

Take this new year as an opportunity to redirect your focus. Do you wanna prioritize your education? Self-development? Mental health? Give yourself a focal point for this year, practice healthy habits based on your focus, and positive change will follow.

What habits will you practice this year to improve your mental health? Journaling, meditation, limiting your screen time? There are so many different habits to practice for improving your mental health that there's no way you've tried all of them! There's always another practice for you to try—odds are, at least one of them is bound to work! Writing down the general habits you want to practice is also beneficial in helping you remember and implement them.

Something I had to learn about transition periods is that it's all in the perspective. At first I was super anxious about all the change that's going on right now. Then, I had to take a step back and view it as a fresh start, an opportunity to grow. As individuals, we may be afraid of change from time to time. But we have to realize that not all change is bad, especially in our case, considering the state that our country has been in. I say that we all embrace the new year, take on attitudes of hope, and view this change as an opportunity for self-improvement.

Mental Health America - 31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health:

https://www.mhanational.org/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health