Where to start when you don’t know where to start.
All of us know the feeling: stuck in a loop and sick of ourselves. The first step to change—if we can even figure out what that is-- feels insurmountable because we have so very far to go. Whatever change you need right now, whether that is physical, spiritual, emotional, environmental, start here:
1. Validate where you are right now. Say to yourself, ‘I am here for a reason, but I won’t be here forever.’ Write it down on a scrap of paper: ‘I won’t be here forever.’ Put it somewhere conspicuous to you. Believe it.
2. Get yourself tuned up. You get to decide what this means. From a nursing perspective, I recommend that you get an annual physical (even if you’re in your twenties) from your general practitioner. If you’re a female, this does not mean a trip to your OB/Gyn. OB/Gyn’s, for the most part, are not primary care providers (unless they explicitly state that they are, in which case, right on.) See a primary care provider, get your cholesterol checked, take a depression screening. If you’ve recently done this and have a clean bill of health, schedule an affordable treatment for yourself in which you are unable to multitask. Thanks to Groupon, there is affordable massage, acupuncture, and other holistic treatment available all over the country. Combine this with a dental cleaning, some hair removal if that’s your thing and your body will start to warm up to the idea that a change is coming.
3. Pick a habit and get support. You can’t tackle everything at once. Right now, you’re having trouble tackling one thing at once. So pick something concrete, like waiting until after 10am to check social media, or walking in silence for 30 minutes every day, and get support. That support part is crucial. We can survive on our own, but we thrive with a community. If there is a not a soul in your life (human or animal) who can keep you accountable, find a partner online or an app that you like. You will be amazed when you reach out how many people are happy to lend their support.
One last thing. If you’re feeling more than just stuck, and are having thoughts of self-harm, please get help immediately. You are wonderful. The world needs you.