Thought Of The Day

When I see your smile

My whole day gets brighter.

Cause you’re my light,

In the night sky.

My single shining star,

That I know will never disappear.

When the light comes and I can't see you anymore,

I know, you’re still there.

And that you’ll be seen again,

from someone with no job or school due to mental illness who's living like this every day

Have a routine: this is definitely one of the most important ones. when you don't leave your house, times starts melting together, so having a routine is important to keep your brain stimulated in the concept of time. this is actually one of the things they teach soldiers to do if they are kidnapped and exposed to torture such as isolation, or constant light/darkness. try to get up and go to bed at roughly the same time every day. brush your teeth, and have your meals at the same time every day. have different tasks assigned to different days of the week, and stick to them.

Change out of your pajamas every day: you don't have to put on your outside clothes if you're not going outside. maybe just have assigned Night Pajamas and Day Pajamas. your body's memory is a lot better than you think. i promise it will make a world of difference.

Don't lie in bed all day, every day: it's super tempting, but if you stay in bed all day, then it will be a lot harder to fall asleep once you hit that time. even if it's just about moving from your bed to the couch, or a desk chair, or sitting on the floor of your bedroom, whatever you have available. make your bed a sacred sleeping space. i have struggled with insomnia my whole life, and this made a huge difference to my sleep pattern.

Do something active every day: i'm not talking running 5k, or cleaning the whole house - unless you want to. but just getting up and doing whatever your body can do for just 10-15 minutes every day is super important for your mental health. do the dishes, sweep the floor, just stand in the middle of the room and shake your arms and legs, so some stretching. anything that is moving your body in a way that your body can, is a good thing.

Get a daily dose of sunlight: if you can go outside that is such a luxury right now, but also make sure to let the sunlight into your home. open the curtains, open the windows, let as much sun into your home throughout the day as you possibly can. but try to set off some time every day to be in the sun without distractions. if you can't go outside just sit in front of a window with the sun on your face. for some people it can be really hard to sit undistracted for too long, so don't beat yourself up if you're struggling. if you don't like silence put on some music or a tv show/movie you know so well you don't have to focus. just put your phone on dnd for a while. maybe start with five minutes, after a few days knock it up to ten. just get that sun and peace.

Get fresh air every day: if you can, go outside for a walk. even if it's just in your garden, or a little down the street. but if you can't, make sure to open your windows and let fresh air in every day. part of my daily routine is open bedroom, kitchen and living room window as the first thing when i get out of bed every day, and it really helps me clear my head for the morning.

Keep your brain activated: there's nothing wrong with watching movies/tv shows all day, but be careful that it's not the only you're doing. it's so great to be able to just watch a movie or a show because it demands literally nothing of you, but your brain needs variation. try to read a book/fanfic sometimes, even just a chapter every other day. make a puzzle either with music, or with a movie/tv playing where you don't have to focus too much on it. if you're a writer give yourself a goal of fx writing a thousand words every other day, or if you're a visual artist give yourself a goal for what you wanna create. coloring books are also really great, crossword puzzles, kids' activity books, bake or cook, knit or crochet, whatever you have available that will keep your mind challenged for even just an hour a day.

Pay attention to your nutrition: i get why people fall into a hole of junk food right now; it's easy, it's comforting, it's well known, and it's so tasty. but try to make sure you don't only eat junk food. if you prefer to order take out, go for the more nutritious options sometimes; stuff with lots of veggies and baked fries rather than deep fried, or whatever your choice and options are. be careful not to overdo it on the sugar, because that can really mess with your hormones, and especially those with depression and anxiety can get really affected by consuming a lot of sugar too often. what you consume has a much bigger effect on our mental health than we often consider, so when we are under a lot of stress - as we all are right now - our bodies/brains needs a lot of good vitamins and minerals and fats to work with. cooking/baking your own food can also be incredibly meditative, and to feel that you are actually producing something can be an extremely fulfilling feeling, especially right now where our options of productivity are so limited. if you live with someone that you then can share it with, that is even better, because you can do something with someone, and/or you can share it with them when you're done.

Don't stress about your body: right now we're getting carpet bombed with people joking about getting fat, and trainers/magazines trying to sell the narrative of "there is no excuse" or "don't let your body go" and a lot of much worse things. but fuck that! we are all going through a trauma right now, and obsessing over our bodies is the last thing we need right now. if you enjoy exercising and have the option, then good for you. have fun! but there is literally no reason that you should force yourself to try some stupid diet (diets are the devil's work, never go on a diet ever!!!) or overwork yourself on some exercise routine. be kind to yourself, listen to your mind and body, and block everyone who pushes the narrative that you are "lazy" or jokes about weight gain in this time.

Control your exposure to the news: it's extremely important to stay informed of what is going on right now, especially in your local area. but it doesn't take a lot before it's too much. try to give yourself about an hour every day to catch up on the news. an hour in the morning over breakfast is my preferred method, because if i do it at night my brain will overthink and it will affect my sleep, but do what feels right for you. also, make sure the news you are getting comes strictly from reliable sources. try to stick to sources that reports the cold hard facts only, and avoid those that have an angle. their money comes from reporting the story in the most dramatic way, and you do not need that. i personally check our prime minister's instagram, and the danish health department's website, and those are the only places i go for information about the current situation. even people who never struggled with their mental health can be negatively affected, and as usual the focus on mental health in the media and from governments is absolute zero, so you need to be your own number one defender of your mental health.

Stay in touch with human beings: if you live with someone, and it's a healthy environment, make it a priority to spend time with them every day. do things together. if you live alone it's so important that you stay connected to the outside world. call your family and friends, have chats with people online, make plans with people irl for stuff to do when the quarantine is lifted. if you have a pet make sure to spend time with them to keep yourself grounded.

Don't be afraid to reach out: if you find yourself really struggling, don't hesitate to reach out to someone. a friend, a family member, if that's not for you then there are hotlines you can call, or chat services you can use. just please don't keep it inside. it's okay to be afraid, this is a really scary time, and being scared is natural and so very human.

Respect boundaries: both your own, and others'. if your head already feel like it's about to pop, and someone reaches out to you, asking to relieve their own struggles on you, don't hesitate to polite explain that you are already under a lot of pressure and you have to take care of yourself first. if someone keeps sharing articles or memes or the likes about the situation, and it's too much for you, explain to them that you would like for them to stop. and if someone else tells you the same thing, respect that they are protecting themselves.

Be liberal with unfollow/block/blacklist: if someone keeps bringing up stuff that is stressing you out, don't be afraid to unfollow. even if it's a friend. sometimes the block is necessary and you shouldn't feel bad about that. also using the tumblr blacklist can be such a relief for your mind, and i highly recommend it.