DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical or mental health professional. Everything I share is information gained through personal experience, professional help, and outside resources. It is your own personal responsibility to seek professional help and advice before implementing any life-altering practices. Everyone's mental health journey looks different. My story is just one of millions. If you are feeling lost, scared, alone, concerned, or just not right, I encourage you to connect with a mental health professional. Don't wait until it becomes a crisis.

The “What’s In My Bag” Trend

You’ve seen the trend:

Celebrities, influences, bloggers, and YouTubers spilling the contents of their purses, suitcases, backpacks, and diaper bags to reveal what’s inside. What started as a way of relating to those we’ve put on a pedestal has shifted into a desire to gain knowledge from those we see as authorities in their fields.

Maybe the world travelers have learned the best way to fold a shirt to save precious luggage space. Maybe the seasoned mom has an ingenious unexpected find to calm a teething infant. Perhaps even the world’s wealthiest and well-known still think Target-brand lipstick is the best.

Yes, we may want to feel a trivial connection to those we perceive as better off. But we also want to learn from the experience of those who have been there first or have had broader opportunities and access to the world.

As someone who has had life experience others may not - in the realm of struggling with mental health - I thought it may be helpful to “dump one of my bags” for you: my always growing self-care toolkit.

These are the practices and resources I pull from to aid in my mental wellness and daily management of mental illness symptoms.

Alright, here we go…

WHAT’S IN MY BAG:
MY SELF-CARE TOOLKIT

• Yoga

• Screentime for Kids

• “Tank-Draining” Shower*

• Going Screen-Free

• Movement/Exercise

• Music, Especially through Headphones/Earbuds

• Healthy Procrastination

• Clearing Clutter

• Dance Party

• Time in Nature

• Staying Off Social Media

• Creating Art

• Sitting in Silence

• Seeing a Therapist

• Date Night

• Time Alone

• New or Favorite Show/Movie

• Connecting with Friends

• Exploring a New Place

• Mentally Pausing for a Few Moments

• Taking Ownership of Mistakes

• Listening to Mind/Body/Soul

• Laughing with My Hubby

• Being Silly with My Kids

• Bright, Naturally Lit Spaces

• Gratitude List

• Journaling

• Soaking Up Sunshine

• Houseplants

• Sweet Treats (In Moderation)

• Watching Sunrise/Sunset

• Long Hug from a Family Member

• Ocean Sounds

• Deep Breathing

• Walk

• Surfing

• CBD Gummies**

• Walking Around Outside in Bare Feet (aka “Earthing”)

• Fantasizing/Day Dreaming

• Recalling Memories of Personal Resilience

• List Making

• Using Logic vs Emotion Without
  Disregarding Either

• Having the House to Myself

*Taking a hot shower so long, the water goes cold. Yes, the environmentalist in me shakes her head, but I’ve learned sometimes it’s the only practice that will work in the way I need it to.

**CBD Gummies were suggested by my doctor as an “as needed” way to treat my anxiety after they determined it would be beneficial. Consult your physician and do your research before starting any new treatments or supplements.

So, was my list what you were expecting? Did anything in particular surprise you?

As you probably assume, this isn’t a complete list, and honestly, I’ll probably never be able to make one. As we grow and learn more about ourselves, our self-care toolkit expands and changes - even sometimes on a daily basis. Our favorite practices may grow ineffective, or our eyes may open to ones we’ve been using unconsciously for years. That’s ok. See it as a sign you’re on the right path. The learning, the growing, and the changing is what makes up your journey in finding and maintaining mental wellness.

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