What a year behind us!
Self-care is an important way to help those with epilepsy to avoid a common trigger, stress. I have included a bit of advice to keeping your life a little bit more tidy and organized to keep your mind at ease.
Journaling
Journaling is a great way to collect your thoughts. There are different types (not limited to these): guided, bullet, and gratitude. I am working on a guided journal at the moment that focuses on weekly reviews including the highs and lows and small prompts. It allows for me to be able to reduce stress in a way that makes me look back to all parts of my week. It reminds me that I may have had a bad day, but there was plenty of good within that week for me to write about.
Planners
Some of our plans may have been shortened due to the circumstances of 2020, but it does not mean that we have less reason to keep the bits and pieces of our lives unorganized. It is as simple as picking up a planner from your local office supply store or if you want to look towards something more customizable, you could search for small shops on Etsy. They may be a bit on the pricier side, but they tend to be reusable and much more durable than one that you will find at a large retail store.
My personal favorite is a disc-bound journal by the brand TUL. This item is one that I have used entirely through my four-years of school and it is still in great condition. It is customizable, can be made larger or smaller, and doubles as a notebook so I can keep all of my class notes and planner together. This reduces the stress of having multiple folders and notebooks to search through. The discs allow for paper to be added, rearranged and discarded as needed. There are plenty of options available, find what best suits you!
Purging
Let’s be honest. Do you really NEED that sweater that you bought two years ago that still has the tag attached to it? What about the shoes that have begun to have a bit of discomfort with each step? How do I decide what needs to go? Well, here’s some advice:
- Does it still have a tag? If so, how long has it been sitting?
- Does it have stains and/or holes? For shoes, are they covered in residue, falling apart, or smelly?
- Try it on. Does it fit? Is it comfortable?
- “Oh, I forgot that I had this!” usually means, no effort has been made to wearing it and probably will not in the future.
- Do you own multiple or similar of the same item? Which do you prefer or reach for more often? And yes, you can have too many t-shirts.
These are just a few questions that I ask myself when I am decluttering my closet.
Managing Stress
I wish that I could tell you that stress is completely avoidable, but it is not. I am in the process of reshaping my work, life, and school balance and that includes exiting some parts of my life. If you are unhappy, then take a step back to evaluate your situation, and find the culprit. It may be an activity, a person, or something that you have been avoiding, but you have to put yourself first in order to make that change.
Managing Epilepsy
This may be your first day seizure-free, your third month, or fifth year. It is important that we remember that each moment is worth celebrating.
Take your medication(s). Add some recommended daily vitamins. Set up your next appointment. Continue to spread awareness and be there for those within the community.
Always,
Amanda